Oh My Gods!
by locainlove
Summary: AU. High school student Kagome had a plan for everything, especially her normal life. But it only took a 'dream come true' to crumble it all up--in the form of a hot jerk/hanyou...god, quite literally. And what! He claims to be her fiancé! InuKag SessRin
1. The Hanyou God

**A/N: ATTENTION! THIS IS A REVISED CHAPTER! REVISED!!!!!! **

**Happy Halloween! WOOT! It's my favorite holiday!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha or his clothes, ahem I mean companions! Heheh, Happy Halloween!**

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**Oh My Gods!**

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So tiring...her life was so tiring.

Granted, she wasn't the only person in the world suffering through boredom, or wishing for a handsome stranger to come whisk her away on some dangerous, mystical journey. It was completely normal, wasn't it? She was still a teenager—she could daydream once in a while.

But...

Sometimes, like right now, she wished she had an aspect of her life to look forward to.

She wasn't by any means whining or complaining; the importance of staying in school and living a moral life was ingrained into her brain. Besides, if she gave up now, then she would be betraying her family, and that was not even the last thing she desired to do.

However, everyday was the same schedule, the same repetitive classes, the same people...

Every week there were the same tests, the same responsibility to pass them, the same hours spent studying her life away...

No wonder most teenagers committed suicide or were driven insane! High school wasn't easy, and whoever said it was...well, he or she wasn't anything like straight-A student, Higurashi Kagome.

The seventeen-year old teen sighed as she trudged down the hallway towards her dorm room, which she shared with another girl her age. Hmph, her roommate hardly shared the same ideals about high school life—she was barely ever there. It came naturally while living in a boarding school.

Oh, right, boarding school...meaning, she lived in her school.

Three years of high school...and three years of college: six years in total.

"Why am I torturing myself?!" Kagome shook her head and quickened her footsteps. Now I'm talking to myself, great... Perhaps she was becoming one of those insane overachievers; most of them were already crowding the guidance counselor's office...

Poor souls—Kagome knew how they felt.

She was one of the few students attending this boarding school, Imei Academy, based on academic scholarship. Yes, this academy was usually reserved for the wealthy students whose parents could afford tuition. Nope, Kagome's family was far from wealthy, but she was an intelligent pupil.

Isn't that what counted now a days?

Of course not! It was all about money, influence and power!

So, if she wanted to continue attending a prestigious school that would be her high school and college, then she had to achieve near perfect scores on her tests and study until her rear-end fell off. Therefore...her current life was more of a chore than anything else.

Study equals good report card.

Good report card equaled scholarship.

Scholarship equaled a college degree.

College degree equaled an actual career.

Career equaled money to help her family.

And that was about it. At some point, she planned on marrying, having two or three kids, perhaps a pet dog, and working for the rest of her years until she retired and eventually died. Her whole life was already planned out, and she was how old? Seventeen? Obviously, clubbing wasn't included in her plans; neither was a handsome stranger whisking her off on adventures.

_And if I ever do meet a handsome stranger, he better have wings. Ooh, golden, sparkly wings! _Kagome smiled to herself, ignoring the fact that she was daydreaming again rather than focusing on her upcoming Anatomy report. Oh, and the aforementioned report was worth half her grade. _I forgot what we're studying in Anatomy, anyway... _

At long last, she arrived before her dorm room and slid her key into the lock prior to entering the serene residence. Apparently, since it was so quiet, her roommate, Ayame, wasn't home. "No surprise there, I guess."

The young wolf demoness was quite friendly and kind, but she was always busy! If she wasn't working on the school's literary magazine, she was in a study group. If she wasn't tutoring, she was out kayaking in a nearby lake.

Unlike Kagome, Ayame barely worried about her homework...

The dorm room actually consisted of _two_ rooms, a very tiny living room, and a matching diminutive kitchen. The walls and carpets were dreary, though they seemed to reflect Kagome's mood most of the time, either way. It wasn't like she cared much about interior decoration when she had work to do.

Kagome dropped her backpack on the carpeted floor, not really caring where it landed, and sunk into the comfort of the couch Ayame had provided when they first moved in. She sat in complete silence for a few moments, taking a much needed break from her recent mental challenges—ahem, Calculus test—and preparing to begin her oodles and oodles of weekend homework.

It was Friday and what was she doing?

Homework.

It was Saturday and what was she doing?

Homework.

It was Sunday and what was she doing?

More homework!

"I have no social life. I have no love life. I have no life period," she mumbled as though in a trance, her chocolate eyes blankly staring at the television in front of her. Was the machine with the black screen listening to her?

Well...the television preferred to innocently gaze back at her, despondent because she always neglected it and never turned it on. It glistened in the little light infiltrating the dorm's windows, begging to be used for once, desiring to extend her little 'break'. Denying the poor television became increasingly difficult, and in a lapse of better judgment—or insanity, as Kagome pleaded—she picked up the remote and pressed the power button.

"Only for a few minutes..." The raven-haired teen comforted herself with words, though promised it would only be for a maximum of five minutes.

At four, she would start her Literature biography on a famous poet named Matsuo Bashou, then five o'clock was reserved for her History essay on the causes of World War II, and at six—

Forget six o'clock; Kagome was already fast asleep.

_...Dream State..._

Kagome opened her chocolate eyes and the first thing that came to her attention was the brilliant green blades of grass beneath her. She furrowed her eyebrows and glanced up at the sky—ah! Fluffy white clouds dotted the azure sky; for a moment, it seemed like she could reach out and touch them, like she would soft cotton balls.

An ocean lingered at a distance, yet the scent of salt never pricked her nostrils as usual. It only further accented this place's unreality—the scenery was so breathtaking, it must've been a dream illusion! Well...she was dreaming, obviously...

Even so, Kagome took her time to take in the sight, hoping she would remember it after she awakened. With all the stress her body and mind was put through, she'd love to have a beautiful place like this act as her sweet escape! The smell of the forest was refreshing since there was still dew on the grass, and all in all, it represented a much welcomed change from the pollution surrounding Tokyo at every corner.

Yes...change...

For once in her life, she wasn't dreaming about failing a test, losing her scholarship, her family needing money to pay off debts—she was in a relaxing place! Relax! Break! Calm! Serene!

It felt...it felt...wonderful!

Kagome grinned and stood onto her feet, but now there was the question of what to do in this vast environment. Were there other relaxing spots in the area? Would she see a cascading waterfall? Her eyes lit up at the thought of seeing a waterfall—she wasted no time to walk off in search of one deep within the forest close by.

"If this is a dream, I should be able to fly," she mumbled, suddenly feeling drained of all energy once she reached somewhere in a forest. "Is it possible to get lost in dreams?" Well, _she_ did. "This sucks...I need a map..."

The trees were taller and thicker from where she stood, meaning she was probably in the middle of the forest. _Which way is North again? I knew I should've taken classes in wilderness survival... _

"Maybe I can find a talking unicorn that'll help me out of here..." Kagome sighed. Unicorn or not, outside aid was a necessity.

Suddenly, however, glowing tendrils of red-gold energy began to seep into the area she was in, coiling around her legs as though her own spiritual energy attracted them. Whatever it was, the energy was electrically charged, almost—but not quite—like a demon's youki, or aura.

She blinked in confusion—what the heck was the source of the totally random glow?! "There's only one way to find out!" And if she was lucky, the source of the youki would know a way out of the forest! Hurray!

At long last, after following the tendrils of energy for a good five minutes, Kagome reached the exact center of the forest, and upon glancing up, she gasped. There was some kind of... _angel_ hovering over a diminutive lake! Angels had wings! This person had wings! Golden wings!

_Handsome...stranger...with...golden wings... _Kagome stared at the 'angel' in complete awe. Her mind was playing tricks on her... Hadn't she wanted to be swept off her feet by a handsome stranger with sparkly, golden wings?

Well...he was the one!

_Handsome...so hot... _His long curtain of silver hair flowed around him as he floated above the lake, suspended in air by his glittering wings spanning at least twice her height—_each_. She couldn't see his eyes because they were closed, but his lips constantly moved in a rhythmic chant. What he was actually saying fell beyond her comprehension, though it wasn't important.

_Hot..._ Gods, she saw one gorgeous guy and she passed-out standing up!

The red-gold tendrils of powerful youki energy was radiating from him, wrapping around him like a raging, electric vortex. It was spinning around him quickly enough to great a whirlwind effect in the lake beneath him; it swirled in the same direction the vortex did.

Amazing enough, this handsome angel was wearing some sort of obsidian black outfit that seemed...imperial in style. It was far from Japanese, however, since the outfit consisted of a black shirt embroidered with golden silk tucked under a patented leather black vest and matching black trousers—overall, his clothing accentuated his slender frame with no billowing apparel in sight.

Kagome couldn't help but wonder if he was a dark angel... "Um...hello?"

At the sound of her tentative voice, the angel startled out of his deep chant, and immediately, his wings as well as the vortex of red-gold energy disappeared. He plunged back-first into the lake with a yelp, only to resurface a few seconds later wearing a feudal crimson haori (kimono jacket) and matching hakama.

What happened to his sexy black fallen angel clothes?!

The miko tried not to laugh at the angel, who seemed to be her age, when he fell into the lake. But it was hopeless; her inner maniac unleashed and she laughed at the disgruntled expression on his face. Now that she noticed he had dog ears on top of his head, he resembled a 'wet dog'—his long silver tresses were dripping and his once baggy clothing stuck to him like a second skin.

"Dammit! Shut the hell up!" The angel bellowed, jumping out of the lake only to appear merely a few feet away from her. He was still drenched in water, and as beads of water trailed down his flushed cheeks, continuing slowly towards the smooth dip of his neck...

Kagome gulped. _No bad thoughts, no bad thoughts, no bad thoughts... _Was the desire to kiss a person's neck normal? It would just be a chaste kiss...a mere taste...a feel of his soft skin... _Err...I think that's categorized as a bad thought... _

"Wench! Answer me! Who the fuck are you and how the hell did you get here?!"

_Oh! He's talking to me! Wait—wench?!?!_ "Excuse you! My name isn't 'Wench'!" The teen glared at the furious angel, placing her hands on her hips defiantly. Her chocolate eyes flared in anger. "I'm Higurashi Kagome, and for all I know, this is _my_ dream."

It was now that she noticed the exotic color his eyes—a molten, liquid gold that easily reflected light, especially when he was angry. Her indignant posture almost faltered before she caught herself. Losing her rational mind in those amber depths was dangerous...

The demon in front of her crossed his arms; no, he was a half demon...a PMSing one... "Keh! I don't know what you're babbling about, wench, but this isn't a dream."

"My name isn't wench!" Kagome stomped on the ground in fury, glaring at the obnoxious jerk, who merely rolled his mesmerizing eyes. Hot or not, he's an inconsiderate jerk! Weren't her dreams supposed to be an escape from her stressful reality?! "Kagome! Say 'Kagome'!"

Ha! This 'angel' was the embodiment of stress!

_And what did he say about this not being a dream? _Perhaps he was trying to purposely confuse her. _Jerk!_

"Does it look like I care what the hell your name is?" He paused for a second to let it sink in her brain. Obviously, she was barely paying attention. The hanyou sighed and raked a hand through his wet silver bangs plastered to his forehead. "Just leave and I won't kill you."

"Does it look like I know how to leave?!" She happened to be lost, in the first place. "And stop acting as if we're not in my dream! I can do whatever I want here!" Then again, if this was a dream, then why was she conscious of it?

"For the sake of your goddamn shit-sized brain—you're not dreaming! You're in MY freakin' training grounds, in MY territory, and you're wasting MY valuable time!" He threw his hands up in exasperation up, reaching out towards the sky party barricaded by the branches of tall trees. "_I'm_ the one in charge, wench, so _leave_ already!"

"Geez, I never knew angels were this rude! No wonder you were meditating! You _definitely_ have anger issues..."

"A-Angel...?" The silver-haired hanyou gaped incredulously for a moment, until the corners of his mouth twitched into a smile. Kagome stared at him, now scared instead of angry. _He's creepy...really creepy..._

Even more so when he doubled over in laughter...

"Hey!" Kagome frowned and glowered at the hanyou with all her might. "Stop laughing, dog boy!"

"Dog boy?!" He immediately snapped out of his laugh-trance with an annoyed bark, surprising the miko enough for her to take a stay away from him. "First I'm an angel and now I'm dog boy?!" His frazzled state only made him seem more humorous, since his long hair was still clinging to his body.

Slender, muscular body, too...

"Aren't you an angel?" The raven-haired teen tentatively asked.

"Fuck no!"

"Then what are you?" Certainly he can't be a normal half demon because he has wings! Golden, sparkly wings! That was all that mattered, wasn't it?

For a second, he only gazed at her, calculating whether or not he should trust her with 'important' information. They were trapped in an uncomfortable silence—or at least, for Kagome it was uneasy—until he scoffed and simply replied, "I'm a demon god."

She stared blankly at the hanyou. "As if I'm supposed to know what that means..." He couldn't mean that he was a spiritual deity deserving to be worshipped, right? Then, was this dream a divine vision telling her that her life was too uneventful?

Ah...she could totally agree with this 'divine omen'...

"It means, idiot wench, that I'm a powerful bastard who might just kick your ass if you don't leave."

"Why do you want me to leave so much?" Even the way he was standing screamed the fact that he was on guard. His eyes narrowed every so often as he continued to analyze her actions, her stance...like he was waiting for her to attack...

Wait—what?!

Surely he couldn't think of her as a threat! She was a high school student, for goodness sake! If she knew how to activate her spiritual power—why she couldn't was beyond her—she'd have already purified the insolent 'demon god'!

"Look," he alas sighed as his shoulders sagged, apparently relinquishing any hope that she would decide to frolic anywhere far from him, "I don't know how you got into my training grounds—it's damn near impossible. Obviously you must be some kind of witch."

"Rest assured; I'm not a witch." Kagome's eye twitched at his statement, and he conspicuously winced. No need to start another piss fight... "Anyway, I told you my name. What's yours?"

"Not that it's any of your business, but...I'm Inuyasha. Maebashi Inuyasha in the mortal realm."

Kagome was on the brink of insanity driven by confusion. "Mortal realm?"

"Yeah, you know, the place where all the mor...tals..." A look of understanding crossed the hanyou's face, and his vibrant eyes lit up with a new discovery the miko was unaware of. "You're mortal... Keh! I knew it! Mother must've been talking about you!" Inuyasha then scrunched up his face in disgust. "Damn...I thought you'd be a bit smarter..."

_Eh? His mother knows me?_ Weird. And of course I'm smart! She wouldn't have survived in Imei Academy if she wasn't! Kagome was about to voice her opinions, and quite heatedly, yet a disturbance in the sky bound her attention.

She blinked and glanced up. Through the small cracks the large, looming trees left of the sky, she noted that the sky was...dissolving... Black dots were quickly consuming the entire area; it was a plague leaving absolutely nothing untouched.

This was even weirder...

"What's...what's happening? Is the sky falling?" Kagome asked no one in particular prior to facing the hanyou god beside her. He seemed pensive, and his expression was unreadable for once—it was carved from stone. Normally one would be able to discern the emotions enveloping him.

"There's trouble...I gotta go. See ya later, wench!" Inuyasha quickly summoned his golden wings before sparing her a smile—a rather charming smile, if she cared to admit—and spread the sparkling appendages before flying towards the dissolving sky. Soon enough, he disappeared without a trace.

Kagome stood in front of the lake, her mouth portraying a mini cave that could house a family of small foxes. She couldn't believe what...he left! He left without explaining anything to her! This is why demon gods don't exist!

Everything around her was feeding a black abyss slowly creeping towards her, but Kagome was rooted to her spot. There was nowhere to run, nowhere to hide...what was she supposed to do?! She bit her lip and closed her eyes tightly, wishing to be back in the warm comfort of her bed, no matter how crappy it was...

_...Out of Dream State..._

"Kagome! Wakey wakey!"

The raven-haired teen opened her eyes and dumbly stared into the emerald irises of her room mate, Ayame. They remained gazing at each other in complete silence before the fiery red-headed wolf demoness beamed, exposing one of her sharp fangs.

"Well, well! Straight-A-Kagome falls asleep on the couch instead of doing her homework!" Ayame sighed despondently, shaking her head in pity. She paced in front of the green couch her unblinking friend was reclining on. "I'm ashamed of you, missy! You're going to lose your scholarship at this rate! Go do your homework right now!"

"My homework...my homework..." Kagome discerned since the lights were on in the dorm, then it should've been already dark outdoors...which meant it was evening... **"MY HOMEWORK!!!" **

"EEK! WAIT! I'm not serious!" The wolf demon hauled her room mate back onto the couch when she bolted off in the speed of light. She realized Kagome always finished her homework on Fridays since she visited her family on Saturdays and spent time with her other friends throughout the weekend, but sheesh!

Once the miko calmed down some and ceased to pant as adrenaline exited her bloodstream, Ayame smiled and placed a hand on her shoulder. "Look, Kags, you overwork yourself. I know I'm too much of a laid back student, but geez, woman! Get a life! You won't lose your scholarship if you score a few B's here and there..."

Easy for you to say because you can afford tuition. Well, Kagome wasn't about to argue with Ayame. The youkai was on the debate team for a reason... "I don't have a life—I know. I can't do anything about it." This is the life I chose, so I'm sticking with it, I guess.

Ayame shook her head. "No way! You just need a boyfriend! I'm sure you'd even _forget_ to do your homework with a guy around!"

And one of her admirers happened to be a wolf demon her roommate liked, so obviously Kagome wasn't about to impose on their 'possible' relationship. Although, Ayame did have a point. "Kouga's too touchy-feely for me and Houjo...well...Houjo—"

"—is a special case," the demoness finished. Kagome merely nodded. There was nothing to say when it came to Houjo... "Kags, go out tonight. Even if it's to visit your family, just go out. And hey! Then you'd have the whole day to yourself tomorrow!"

"But I promised Eri, Yuka, and Ayumi I'd go to the mall with them..." It was a promise she couldn't back out of, no matter how much she yearned to. She owed it to them, she supposed.

Ayame rolled her emerald eyes. "So? It's only like five or six o'clock. You'll have time to finish your homework later."

"But—"

"Kagome!"

"Fine, fine!"

So, Kagome gathered her belongings, grabbed her purse, and heeded Ayame's words. _At least I'm finally breaking away from a schedule..._ Yup. All she needed in order to please her room mate was a boyfriend to keep her busy. _Yeah, as if that'll ever happen._

Then again, who knew?

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**

Kagome sighed as she pedaled towards the city, where her family's shrine home was, on her pink bike that had a brown weaved basket on it. Imei Academy, her boarding school, really wasn't far from her home; it was approximately twenty minutes by car and a little under a half-hour by bike. However, a forest separated the boarding school's campus from the actual city.

Yes, the school was surrounded by woods, woods, a lake, and more woods. The scenery was breathtaking during spring and autumn, so she couldn't complain much. Sure, it was a bit difficult to be forced to ride her bike into the city for a half-hour, but worth it if only to have a serene environment close by to study.

Of course, she was one of the few students who couldn't afford a car...

Given how the trees were becoming thicker as she pedaled through a narrow road in the forest, Kagome surmised she was somewhere in the middle of the woods. _Only ten or fifteen more minutes_. Her calves were beginning to protest the prolonged muscle strain, yet she ignored it and pushed herself forward.

But suddenly, a familiar glow was emanated from further ahead, forcing Kagome to come to a complete halt once its warm, pure energy wafted to where she was. Tendrils of red-gold energy coiled around her...and she recognized the demonic youki it originated from...

Her dream...

"I can't be dreaming again, right?" Kagome's jaw hanged for a second in complete shock. Perhaps she secretly suffered from narcolepsy and fell asleep while riding her bike. It could happen... Yet, it wasn't probable.

The raven-haired miko scrambled to start pedaling again, but this time her destination was the source of the powerful, flowing youki. If what she was currently witnessing was real, then what did her dream entail?!

Should she trust an annoying demon god, who always called her 'wench', when he said it wasn't a dream?

It didn't stop her from pedaling faster! And faster...and faster...and—wait she was there already! And... _Oh my gods, it really wasn't a dream..._

There he was, the so called demon god Inuyasha, coming out of some sort of bright white portal on the ground where the glow was coming from. He was wearing the same imperial black clothing and his wings were completely spread to their full length, shining in golden glory.

Kagome had to admit, his wings were very beautiful...never had she seen golden wings before, not even in fantasy pictures.

No, his were unique...sparkly unique...

Why did she have a tendency to ogle his wings like nothing else in the world existed?!

The raven haired teen watched in awe and apprehension as the hanyou god wholly exited the portal, and it soon disappeared afterwards. He now hovered over the grass-covered ground, and his molten gold eyes matching the sheen of his wings abruptly fixed upon her. It took all the power Kagome possessed to close her gaping mouth before drool dribbled down her chin.

Hmph, her knees were going to buckle if he kept staring at her so intensely... His eyes were too enchanting! She was under a spell, she swore it!

Finally, Inuyasha's feet touched the ground after his gradual descent, and he treaded closer to her, only staring at her. Kagome felt like someone gripped her heart and plunged it into her stomach... Was it a sin to be overly handsome? No wonder he denied being an angel...

Ack! The hanyou bent on one knee! What the heck was he doing?! And why was she still staring at her like she was a goddess with a glowing halo over her head?! But now the miko had a closer view of his wings, and they seemed to be soft and...fluffy...

Her fingers twitched...she wanted to touch them...so surreal...sparkly wings...

"I have come to you, as requested, my princess."

Kagome quickly froze and disregarded his enticing wings. _What the hell?!?! Is he joking? _First he called her wench and suddenly she was his princess?! "Sorry, dog boy, I think you have the wrong girl..."

This seemed to grab Inuyasha's attention since his eyes snapped up to hers as he stood to his full height—which was at least a foot taller than Kagome's five-foot-four—and glared down at her. His golden eyes were vibrant with suppressed anger and confusion, and she fleetingly wondered where this hanyou had been hiding his expressive eyes!

Oh, but the fire in them did burn a little...

"Hell no! After I said all of that mushy crap, you can't be the wrong girl!" Inuyasha was once again disgusted with himself, and the miko in front of him mulled over his...'mushy crap'. _Maybe someone told him to say them?_ "Keh! Aren't you Higurashi Kagome?"

Kagome nodded, yet she was noticeably reluctant. _Can someone tell me what's happening right now, who I'm talking to, and why I'm still standing here like an idiot? Do girls my age normally have dreams about demon gods and then meet them in person?_

Well, it wasn't everyday that a winged, alleged hanyou god came out of a portal in the middle of a forest and called her his princess! She was a figment of her imagination—he had to be! Kagome wasn't superstitious, unlike her grandfather, and she retained a good sense of reality, so she was sure demon gods or whatever didn't exist!

Of course, she had wanted some excitement in her life, a little chaos to overturn her perfect schedule and uninterrupted sequence of events, but this was too much! She wasn't going to start believing in the paranormal, devote herself to religion, and much less accept that her dream was supposedly a reality!

Hmph!

Inuyasha crossed his arms, and his expression became annoyed once more. "If you're Higurashi Kagome, then I got the right girl! Don't confuse me, wench!"

Why the heck was he always blaming her?! _He_ was the gullible one! And she wasn't a wench, dammit! "I'm not a princess, dog boy!" Geez, she was sure the hanyou had disappeared in a dissolving sky...couldn't he disappear again?

"No **duh** you're not a princess!" He rolled his eyes, becoming frustrated with the stupid mortal with a thick skull. "You're just a worthless human wench. _However_, you're my fiancée, and I'm a prince, so put two and two together—"

**"WHAT?! FIANCÉE?!" **

"Keep it down, wench! I'm not deaf _yet_, ya know..." Inuyasha blinked and cocked his head to the side when he glanced at the annoying teen. "Are you ok, wench?"

Kagome fled to her own, imaginary world at hearing the word fiancée coming out of the hanyou's mouth. No matter how many times the demon god waved his clawed hand in front of her face, she still didn't snap out of her daze.

Ugh! How the heck was he supposed to revive her without any slapping involved?! Then again, Inuyasha enjoyed hitting people...

After a while, he sighed in defeat, yet soon caught sight of a pink contraption lying in a heap behind Kagome. It was...dear gods, that color was absolutely horrid... "Well, since I guess you don't care, I'm gonna steal your pink thing over there... What the hell is it, anyway? I have no clue, but its..._pink_."

"It's a bike."

"Ah, so you_ are _alive..."

Kagome rolled her eyes at the hanyou, whose wings and imperial clothing vanished. He was now decked in the crimson haori and hakama that used to be dripping wet. "Why do you keep changing outfits?" It fooled her eyes!

They didn't like being tricked!

"Maybe 'cause I'm more comfortable in this without my wings...and it's required of my 'princely' status." Inuyasha quirked an eyebrow at her stupidity, momentarily forgetting that she, a mortal and _not_ a demon god, was unfamiliar of the way he lived.

"Ok, I still don't understanding this whole fiancée-princess thing..." Kagome mumbled, returning to the main topic rolling in her jumbled mind. It was bad enough she was standing in the middle of a forest talking to some sort of celestial being from a totally different realm or whatever.

A 'princely' demon god, to be specific...

Inuyasha's jaw hung loose. "Don't tell me your mother didn't tell you!"

He knew her mother? What?!

"Fine, then I won't."

"She didn't, didn't she?"

"Nope, not a word."

The hanyou god slapped his forehead and muttered something under his breath, though Kagome couldn't hear all of it. But she figured it was probably a _very_ colorful string of _very_ colorful words. Men had no self-control along with a limited vocabulary...especially hanyou gods. After a while, however, Inuyasha finally retrieved words she alas understood in her native language.

"This is what I know. The other day, I was reading my mother's journal—I was forced to, actually—and it turned out to be like a guide book. My mother wrote that I need to find my fiancée in the mortal realm, a girl named Higurashi Kagome, the only mortal who can travel to the immortal realm without assistance, like you did a few hours ago."

So, basically, he was insinuating that her dream wasn't truly a dream...again. Still, Kagome chose to deny it. "What in the...how does your mother know me?" The next thing she knew, she would encounter the prime minister's son in the street and discover she was his long lost sister!

"Trust me, I reacted the same way you did, but I did what my mother told me to do and came here." Inuyasha shrugged, and Kagome mused if he regarded his mother's journal as sacred scripture. "Mother also wrote that your mother, Higurashi Aya, knows about this and would answer our questions. And that's all I know."

"And the princess thing comes in where?"

"Grr...you never pay attention!" Inuyasha growled, shaking his head. "I'm Prince Inuyasha of the Western Kingdom, son of King InuTaishou and Queen Izayoi of the Western-Eastern Empire, which I will eventually help my bastard of a brother rule. So, if you're my fiancée, you'll be Princess Kagome."

"I'm still confused..."

"It's a simple math equation, wench! Just shut up and accept it for what it is!"

"I hardly think you're real! I need an emergency psychiatrist!"

"What?! I'm real! I eat, I sleep, I walk, I read, I talk, I—"

"I get it, thanks."

Kagome shook her head, spreading her raven locks over her shoulders, and started walking back to where she had left her bike. She was surprised when Inuyasha followed her, but ignored him until she climbed onto the 'pink thing'.

Turning to the curious hanyou, she shot him a steady look. "Where do you think you're going?" He was trailing behind her like an adoring puppy not knowing what to do with his free time. It unnerved her, even though she liked the adoring puppy part...

"Isn't it obvious? I'm coming with you." The hanyou stood his ground firmly, crossing his arms again and glaring down at his raven-haired _fiancée_. Kagome glared back at her silver haired _fiancé_, but she cursed his height. What was he, six foot three? That was insane!

"Why do _you_ have to tag along?" Surely he could return home—wherever that was, maybe he lived in her dreams—and forget about the whole ordeal. Just because his mother's journal guided him to her didn't automatically mean they were actually being forced to marry...

Right? Kagome hoped so, because she had a scholarship to maintain!

Inuyasha begged for patience—was she stupid or what?! "Three reasons. One: you're my fiancée, like it or not. Two: I'm confused as hell and I want answers. Three: I'm not supposed to leave your side." His mother's journal told him so.

"Don't tell me you're staying here for more than just a day..."

"What the hell don't you understand about the word **fiancée?! **Of _course_ I have to! I have to_live_with you! I have to _marry_ you!"

What about her studies? Her career? Her plans for the future? Her homework?! Kagome shuddered at the thought of a fiancé causing her to disregard school altogether. Besides, if she was getting married to a prince, did that mean her ambitions for a good paying job was utterly worthless?

Oh gods... All her hard work would be for nothing! She couldn't bear it! It actually hurt to think of her endless hours of studying to be successful in the future all going to waste. "I don't want to marry you..." She mumbled, more to herself than to anyone.

As far as she knew, marriage wasn't an option until after college.

Her statement, however, struck a chord in Inuyasha, and he fleetingly appeared as though she slapped him. Kagome didn't notice something was wrong until she glanced up and saw hurt flitting in his eyes. She blinked, forgetting her own pains and worries for the moment.

Had she said something wrong?

"Inuyasha?"

Kagome was a bit surprised when he reeled at her angrily. "What? You hate half-breeds so much you can't even hear the word marry? It should be a fucking trend."

"Don't even go there! This has _nothing_ to do with prejudice!"

"Then what the hell is your problem?!" The hanyou shouted, genuinely confused and aggravated. Raw emotion was imbedded in his words, and they stabbed the raven-haired teen like hot knives. "If you still think I'm not real, then open your fucking eyes! You mortals are ignorant of the universe—you're so skeptical of the unknown, you all stop believing before the mystery unravels!"

"It's not my fault you immortals or whatever the hell you are suddenly show up in my more than _normal_ life and screw things up!"

"Keh! You're just afraid of change," Inuyasha spat, furious beyond belief. "I bet your life is boring. You have nothing to look forward to—why? Because you're afraid of the unknown. Ha, congrats, wench, you're worse than most mortals."

"Shut up!" Kagome shouted back, since his anger was rubbing off on her. "I'm only seventeen years old! Seventeen! I'm still in high school, so I have my grades to worry about as well as my scholarship! I can't afford to start getting married to 'princes' like you—I'm too young!"

Inuyasha's lips curved into a sardonic smile. "And what about me, eh? You forgot I'm still inuhanyou, meaning I mate for life. I'm giving my whole fucking life to you and you think _you're_ too young? News flash—I'm as young as you are!"

"JERK! You seriously piss me **OFF!!!" **

"What a coincidence—we piss each other off! You're prize is an arranged marriage to none other than Prince Inuyasha of the Western Kingdom! Damn, you're one lucky bitch!"

"ARGH! Fine! Let's just go, Inuyasha; let's just go."

Inuyasha growled in acrimony before deciding to run after Kagome instead of riding on the bike with her when she gestured it. Like hell he was ever going to touch that thing! Not only that, but the aura surrounding her was less inviting than the bike...it was downright crackling.

It repelled him...like the bike looked pink enough to burn his hands...

Chills ran up his spine at the thought and he started running after Kagome once she took off pedaling without warning. Her _bike_ was still haunting him, though, and it became his focal point in order to control his still raging fury. It was better not to think about his past arguments, right?

But...that pink thing...was so pink...and it scared him...

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**A/N: Pink...pink...the girls in my high school wear so much pink...it scares me...**

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**This chappie has been edited as of 1-23-09**


	2. Kagome's Home

**A/N: REVISED!**

**WOWZ! I never thought that I'd ever get 9 reviews for one chapter! THANK YOU FOR MAKING MY DREAMS COME TRUE!!! **

**Ahem, sorry for this chapter, I hate it. I think it's like a filler, ya know? Not every chapter could be action packed...oh well, I promise you'll like where this story is going! THANKS AGAIN!**

**ON WITH DA CHAPPIE! **

**AND HAPPY EARLY THANKSGIVING!**

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**Oh My Gods! 2**

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Finally, after fifteen minutes, the Inuyasha and Kagome at last exited the forest and arrived in the city. The silver-haired hanyou glanced in wonder at all the tall buildings constructed with unfamiliar material along with the modern technology mortals took pride in. What the hell were those metal boxes racing through the busy streets?!

They smelled horrible!

These things were very strange to him... In the immortal realm, where he came from, everything was mostly modern except for knowledge and wisdom.

But here...everything was different.

Mortals dressed different, they lived different, they ate different—when had they all evolved? These mortals didn't try to preserve their origins like the immortals. No, they wanted to make life easier for themselves by inventing new gadgets and lifestyles, constantly updating their technological discoveries.

What else did they invent?

_Keh, I wouldn't be surprised if they invent a new kind of dimension where peasants can become lords by eating a golden carrot... _Inuyasha smirked at his thought.

It would actually be pretty nice, except for the fact that everyone would be rich and powerful, and then competition for rank would cease to exist. People in the immortal realm thrived for challenge—his life was based on achieving a higher rank and therefore a higher level in strength.

Kagome glanced at the hanyou god out of the corners of her eyes and smiled. "Are you feeling a bit overwhelmed?" They had stopped for a moment since he wanted to stare at everything for the first time.

His golden amber eyes held the wonder of a child, and the miko couldn't help but giggle at him, finally forgetting their earlier argument. Inuyasha was the most annoying, hot-headed, insensitive jerk in the...immortal and mortal realms, but then again, he really was a very cute...puppy.

_If I tell him that he'll bite my head off..._ Hmm...she should say it, anyway. _Nah._

Inuyasha scowled at her question and said nothing, though he was apparently waiting for her to start pedaling again by the way he stared at her unblinkingly. Kagome sighed in dismay and complied, knowing full well that if he wanted to, the hanyou could run beside her, but he chose to stay back.

She hoped nothing she had shouted earlier hurt his feelings... It hadn't been her intention to, she swore!

It was just that...her situation was unbelievable!

She be lying if she said she hadn't already planned her whole life. Heck, she just went over her plans for the future a few hours ago! It wasn't set in stone, but that didn't mean she wanted her 'life schedule' to change!

How in the world was she supposed to marry Inuyasha when she was only seventeen?!

Until she heard it from her mother's mouth, Kagome wasn't about to believe she was truly engaged. And it was highly unlikely that her mother would arrange a marriage for her seventeen-year old daughter, who was _still_ in high school and _still_ needed to maintain her scholarship.

Besides, her mother wasn't the type to disregard her children's feelings on any matter at all—she understood Kagome perfectly! She supported her plans for the future, helped her be accepted into a prestigious school such as Imei Academy, and she overall knew that her daughter wouldn't accept _change_ so easily!

Her mother wouldn't do this to her!

Yet...Inuyasha didn't strike Kagome as the type of person to lie often...he just... It barely fit his character. If he was angry, he readily expressed it. If he was tired, she'd be able to tell. If he was hurt, his eyes would reveal it all. All in all, he was very honest instead of clever and cunning.

That was a good trait despite his arrogance, right? Kagome's ideal guy had to be honest with her in everything—she didn't want to live oblivious to a nest of lies. So...she was almost certain the hanyou god would never think of cheating on her. They would have a perfect relationship...

No.

Kagome wished to marry out of love, not because Inuyasha's mother's journal said so.

But she couldn't blame the hanyou. If he was telling the truth, he was merely carrying out his mother's wishes. And he must love his mother very much since he exclaimed that by marrying her, he was giving his entire life to her. Not all children considered such a commitment, and it truly touched her heart.

Hmm, another point was in Inuyasha's favor...also add the fact that he was handsome...his sparkly golden wings...

Err...Kagome had to stop finding reasons why she should marry Inuyasha...

"Um...how do you like it here so far? Have you ever been to the mortal realm?" The miko asked in an effort to suppress the blush blooming in her cheeks. The uncomfortable silence surrounding them was allowing her mind to run rampant..._not_ good.

_Beautiful eyes...looks good in black...fluffy wings...silky hair...could be a model... _Bad thoughts, bad thoughts!

Kagome refrained from turning her head to glance at the hanyou's expression—well, she would crash into a building, anyway—yet she heard him loud and clear. Finally, he was talking to her! "It's...strange here. I've been to the mortal realm when I was a child, but I don't remember much."

True, he visited the mortal realm before when his mother had been alive, though many years had passed since then. Besides, all he truly remembered was playing with someone, a girl around his age, in a yard that was in front of a tree...while his mother and another woman watched, smiling fondly.

Inuyasha couldn't recall anything else.

Kagome nodded. "Well, you'll get used to this life. Living here isn't hard!"

"That's what you say now..."

The raven-haired teen laughed, her former dark aura softening to welcome others since she felt oddly...content, for some reason. She didn't know why, but being around a vivacious hanyou god like Inuyasha wasn't as strange as people would imagine.

He was just like any normal teenage guy; then again, he hadn't revealed his age, but Kagome figured he was a teenager regarding his earlier words of being as young as her. Either way, he was curious like anyone else, his only unique features were his dog ears—though, she only wanted to touch them—and he basically blended in with the crowd of mortal humans and...demons.

_Aren't all demons immortal?_ Kagome guessed what defined an immortal was a creature or being unable to perish from fatal wounds and/or old age. I can't tell the difference between a mortal and an immortal. _What if other immortals are currently living among mortals? _

It was a surprising thought...no one would ever be aware of it, however.

After a few moments of peaceful silence, Inuyasha decided to run along side of her instead of behind of her. It was enough to make the teen sigh in relief—now she knew he wasn't angry at her. Why would she care? Well, it ate away at Kagome's heart to have someone angry with her...

It wasn't Kagome's fault her moods changed courses like the wind...

"What's it like in the immortal realm?" She asked, genuinely curious. Was life really so different than it was here? Inuyasha seemed to be in awe of his new environment—the discrepancies between both realms were conspicuous.

The hanyou peered at her before facing ahead again, pondering his next words. There were millions and millions of differences between the immortal and mortal realm—the list could go on forever. He soon smirked, proud of his origins, and replied, "Immortals live in the immortal realm."

"I knew that, of course..." Kagome cast him a blank stare. "Come on, I want to know!"

"Keh! I'll talk when I want to."

"Dog boy..."

"...Do you really want to know?"

"I wouldn't have asked if I didn't."

"Fine," Inuyasha complied, rolling his eyes. "The immortal realm...is like going back in time. All this modern stuff here is scarce over there. I don't think anyone lives in poverty, though, since we have our own unique abilities and live life simply. Hmph, and like hell the air is polluted by those damn four-legged demons..."

"Cars, you mean?" Kagome suggested as Inuyasha pointed to the metal box he referred to, a polished cobalt Honda civic that whizzed by them. He mulled over the word 'car' in his mind before shrugging.

"Yeah, whatever. The air over there is fresh and the landscapes are all natural. The most common things immortals and mortals share are ambition and superiority. Kings and queens reign—I'm a prince, so duh—but only a select few are driven by greed enough to start wars. The rest of us just train and fight to gain ranking."

Inuyasha noticed Kagome's confusion and figured he had to explain. "Every immortal is handed a necklace at birth that he or she has to complete in order to be considered powerful and superior. The necklace begins as a ring of beads, yet gains teeth automatically with every level or rank of strength achieved. A complete necklace has ten teeth. So far, mine has eight."

Kagome nodded in understanding, turning briefly to glance at the purple beaded necklace wrapped around his neck, partially covered by his framing silver locks. She didn't have time to count the white bead teeth on it, but there had to have been eight if the pattern was correct. At first, the miko had thought the necklace was composed of ordinary prayer beads, but now she knew otherwise.

_That's really cool... _She smiled. _But living life fighting to gain rank is tough._ Then again, mortals fought very differently for power—by using money and cunning.

"Here, money is power and it's not only men who have it. Politicians, businessmen, heck even celebrities! Doesn't matter if you have an education or not, if you have a lot of money, people would respect you...and you're not understanding a word I'm saying..."

The blank look on Inuyasha's face told it all. "Nope. Who are pollycians and busynessmen? And what the heck is a celerbity?!"

Kagome stifled a giggle at his confusion, since his headed was cocked like an innocent, baffled puppy while his golden eyes brightened in question. One of his dog ears also twitched in anticipation of new information—he was definitely an eager dog...

He was adorable someti—wait, why did she think he was adorable, twice already?!

It was his entire fault for being a dog demon!

"I'll tell you some other time because we're here."

Inuyasha furrowed his eyebrows at their destination; he could only see numerous granite stone steps leading to god knew where. Hold on, if he was a god, then wasn't he supposed to know where it led to?

Well, he wasn't _that_ type of god...

_Why the hell would anyone live up this infinite amount up steps? _"Keh, your stupid pink bikey thingy slowed us down! We could've been here faster than you can say your name!"

The miko grinned and said, "Kagome!"

"Huh?" Was this wench crazy? Now he was stuck with her, probably for life—and he was immortal. What was his mother drinking when she wrote his arranged marriage in her journal?!

"Wow, we arrived already? Amazing! Let's go up the stairs!" Kagome chuckled at Inuyasha's lost expression before shaking her head and waving him off.

She tried to heave her bike up the long flight of stone stairs awaiting them step by step...even though it would take a few years. Leaving her bike out here in the street, however, wasn't an option; some strange fiends might long for a pink bike...

Inuyasha watched as Kagome struggled to carry the bike up the steps one by one, completely entertained by her lack of strength. He rolled his eyes and grabbed the pink contraption from her before sprinting up the steps, leaving the raven-haired teen behind on purpose. He heard her shouting at him, but it was her fault for not hurrying up.

Hey, the pink thing didn't burn his hands after all!

But it still haunted him...

And so did that large tree once he reached the top...

**

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**

Grr...Inuyasha was a complete jerk! An idiotic, merciless jerk! Forget that he was gorgeous, forget his beautiful eyes and his sparkly wings—he was a jerk!

He could have _at least_ warned her, 'I'll carry the bike for you'! It wasn't imperative that he take the bike and run—she nearly suffered a heart attack and fell off the steps!

Argh! When she ascended the steps, she was going to—

Um...why was he just standing there in front of the Goshinboku?

"Inuyasha...is something wrong?"

The way he was staring at it blankly unnerved her, and she wondered why he would be surprised to see the tree. It was as though he recognized the large tree from within the depths of his memory... No, the idea was impossible because there was no way had ever visited the God Tree.

Right?

Inuyasha tore his eyes away from the thick, tall tree and kehed, crossing his arms once the recognition spell wore off. The sight of the tree triggered something deep within his mind, but right now he couldn't pin point it. It was there, and he_ knew _he'd seen that tree before...

Yet, where was that damn memory?!

He shook his head and turned to face her. "Nothing's wrong, wench. Let's go talk to your mother and see if she can _enlighten_ us about this whole...crap thing."

Kagome's gaze lingered on him for a while before she smiled and led the way towards the entrance of the house she grew up in. Everything was still the same since the last time she had come to visit...which was last week? The week prior to that?

Wow, she actually lost track of something...

"I better warn you, I don't think Mom will react so calmly to the sight of you like I did." Yeah, as though she reacted calmly. "Furthermore, my family is...really weird." Inuyasha only stared at Kagome, waiting for her to slide open the white screened shoji doors to her shrine home.

Kagome sighed, shaking her head in an 'I warned you', and opened the doors. She immediately took off her black and pink Emi sneakers and led Inuyasha further into the house, where a loud clamor resonated throughout the residence.

"Tadaima! It's me, Kagome! I'm home early!" A few seconds ticked by and there was no sign that anyone had heard her.

The miko looked at Inuyasha, but he disappeared. What—he completely vanished?! Though, before she could start freaking out, she noticed he was merely playing with her over-weight-and-proud-about-it cat, Buyo. The hanyou was holding Buyo's creamy front paws in her hands, making the orange and cream cat meow unhappily as he stumbled from left to right.

Kagome quirked an eyebrow and decided that the demon god tortured her cat plenty enough. "Come on, Inuyasha, stop playing with Buyo and let's go find my family. I think they're all in the family room."

Inuyasha quickly straightened and cleared his throat loudly, hastily muttering something about not playing with the damn cat. Kagome knew otherwise, however, but she only nodded, deciding to let him savor the diminishing pride he possessed.

The mortal and immortal walked towards the family room, yet Kagome had to stop every few seconds since Inuyasha picked up random objects around the shrine home and 'examined' them by sniffing them. All the while, the noises from earlier continued to become louder and louder.

Kagome couldn't guess what her family was doing, but it sounded like....

"Guess what Souta, darling? You owe me rent! Cough up the dough!"

"But Mom, I don't have much left! And besides, I just got out of jail and I had to bail Gramps out!"

"You snooze you lose, mister! Oh, and that's 40,000 yen."

"What?! 40,000 yen?!"

"Back when I was a young man, with 40,000 yen I could have moved to Hong Kong and still have money left over to start a farm..."

"Don't start with your stories, father! I'm still waiting on the 80,000 yen you owe me from rent _and_ jail expenses!"

"Really, Gramps, you should stop getting caught. Sheesh, I only went to jail _three_ times..."

"I agree! You have to learn the art of discreet business like us."

"I guess I can't sell you my valuable Shikon Jewel key chains to change your minds?"

"Oh yeah, when they're worth something, Gramps."

"_-sigh-_ I'm going to jail again—can you pay the bail for me, daughter?"

"Once you hand me my rent! Owning hotels _and_ houses around here isn't cheap!"

...they were arguing over Gramps going to jail and Mom asking Souta for rent money?! Since when did Souta possess 40,000 yen?! Since when was her mother so demanding and owned a hotel?! Since when did her grandfather go to jail, apparently more than three times?! And what discreet business?!

Her family was part of the Yakuza!

Meanwhile, Inuyasha gazed at Kagome in confusion, not having one clue as to what was occurring in the other side of the thin wooden wall he leaned against. Actually, he had no desire to discover their 'discreet business'.

But, Kagome couldn't bear the mystery any longer and at long last stepped into the family room, and gaped at what her family was really doing: playing Monopoly.

_Oh my gods... _All her worry was for nothing!

She should have known—only _her_ family could become so rowdy playing Monopoly. They made it sound like it was reality! It seemed like her mother was the one winning, given that she has numerous piles of different colored paper money in front of her, while her little brother Souta had three and her grandfather only had one.

Hmph, not to mention he was once again in the jail area of the game board.

Kagome sensed a presence behind her as she gawked at her family members, but wasn't alarmed because she knew it was just Inuyasha. He peered at the obliviously playing family, wondering what type of human magic they were performing with a board and...rainbow colored paper?

Was that the type of currency in the mortal realm? Rainbow money?!

Mortals were strange...

"What the hell are they doing? Placing a curse on a wealthy family?" Kagome doubled over in laughter, and it was at that moment the three family members in the room noticed their two new arrivals.

Mrs. Higurashi gaped at the sight of a tall boy standing behind her raven-haired daughter, who threatened to roll on the floor laughing, and raised her hand to cover the gaping hole that was her mouth. Souta surveyed the newcomer in total shock, but unlike his unmoving dark-haired mother, stars shined in his chestnut eyes and the corners of his mouth slowly formed a huge smile on his face.

And the grandfather of the family...ran out of the room through a back door entrance/exit, merely to appear half-a-second later with five sutras in his hand.

"Demon be gone!" Inuyasha eyed the scrolls that had been thrown at him, and then glowered at Kagome when she doubled over on the floor again in uncanny laughter. Well, to him it was uncanny. He should have taken her previous warning more seriously.

Kagome's family was pretty weird....

"Is this supposed to hurt me in some way? 'Cause I don't see it doing anything, old geezer..." Inuyasha said in a bored tone, peeling the poorly written scrolls from his crimson haori and letting them float carelessly onto the wooden tatami floor.

He hid a snicker as the old man in front of him paled a considerable white before he started shaking. Though, he probably wondered why his scrolls didn't work rather than focus on the fact that a hanyou god invaded his home and could have killed him for his insolence right then and there.

By now, Kagome finally controlled her laughter and turned to her family, who all bore the same shocked look in their eyes. But she swore the wheels in her brother's head were turning...

"Um...ok...Mom, Souta, Gramps, this is Inuyasha. Inuyasha, this is my mother, my little brat brother Souta, and...Gramps." Kagome pointed to each person while Inuyasha nodded and yawned, leaning on the wooden door frame.

Everyone was still staring at him with their eyes resembling eggs, and the urge to wipe their shock from their faces entered his system. He didn't know how to accomplish the task without it involving violence, however...

"It's...it's...it's you..."

Inuyasha straightened his spine like a rod and stared at Kagome's mother with devoted attention. Actually, everyone in the family directed their gazes towards Mrs. Higurashi, who seemed even more shocked and surprised than prior, if that was possible.

"What do you mean by that? Do you know me?" The dark-haired woman nodded to the hanyou's question, and it was Inuyasha's turn to be surprised.

So, his mother was right—this woman would know the details of his alleged marriage. Wait, how did she know him, anyway? He was sure he never saw her before! The hanyou was too confused to register anything else, not even when Kagome stepped forward and spoke.

"Mom, we need to talk to you in the kitchen, please. Come on, Inuyasha, this way." She dragged along the hanyou by the elbow to the kitchen since he didn't seem to be in the present era, and Mrs. Higurashi followed after the two in zombie stupor, as well.

Souta and Gramps were befuddled—who knew what the heck was happening?—but they decided it was a good opportunity to steal some of the former female player's piles of money...

"Hmm, I don't think I want to be in jail anymore, either..."

And so, Gramps moved himself over to the dark purple section, passing the GO, and collected 24,000 yen instead of paying bail. Souta and his grandfather distributed Mrs. Higurashi's money 'evenly' between them, and took over the game in their favor.

Nothing was fair anymore.

But they stopped playing when they heard Kagome screaming.

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**A/N: Why's Kagome screaming? Is she angry? Being attacked? Scared? Happy? Who knows, go play monopoly and find out! I STOLE YOUR MONEY HAHA! ::runs off with various colored monopoly money::**

REVIEW!

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This chappie is edited as of 1-24-09.


	3. Concentrated Conversation

**A/N: Sorry about the late update. Well, not late for me, but hey, I actually want to update this story quicker than the others, so please bear with me. My life has gone down hill lately. I found out that I'm allergic to my new golden retriever puppy, and my ongoing cold wasn't really ordinary. I have developed asthma. Gods, it was so annoying spending five hours in the waiting room only to get like a thirty minute diagnosis at the hospital yesterday. I hate hospitals. But don't worry, I will hopefully get better, and I actually had time to update since I'm home. Well, Happy Late New Year's! **

**ENJOY THIS REALLY LONG CHAPTER! JUST A THANK YOU FOR GIVING ME THE NUMBER OF REVIEWS I NEVER DREAMED OF HAVING FOR ONLY TWO CHAPTERS!**

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**Oh My Gods! 3**

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After a few minutes, a bored looking Kagome, a stumped but curious Inuyasha, and a still dazed looking Mrs. Higurashi finally arrived at the kitchen, which wasn't small, but wasn't big, either.

The atmosphere was homey with just the right feminine touch, accented by bright lighting, a western style mahogany table neatly set up in the middle of the kitchen, and a creamy beige colored two door side by side fridge. All the other household appliances in the kitchen were all neatly aligned against the walls in an orderly fashion.

Kagome was glad her mother remodeled the kitchen after a certain _incident_. Hmph, an incident that involved her, Gramps, Souta, and an innocent pack of dinosaur shaped chicken nuggets.

The result hadn't been pretty, but she detested the way her old kitchen looked like anyway...

Inuyasha looked around the kitchen in complete awe. All of these strange metal gadgets confused him, but he was currently staring at the modern stove in wonder. Why was it so weird with knobs on it along with large and small circles on its pristine black surface top?

Like he had surmised before, humans had strange technology...

"Come sit here, dear, and I'll explain everything."

It took the hanyou a second to realize that Kagome's mother was talking to him, seemingly out of her former reverie, and he turned around to see that she was gesturing to a seat next to Kagome across from her on the table.

Inuyasha shrugged and complied, taking a seat on the wooden chair with the strange yellow and red apple pattern cushion. It felt weird sitting on it since it was a little hard, but amazingly more comfortable than sitting on hard wood.

Sure, he'd sat on cushions before, but not apple ones...hm, so much for new experiences.

Mrs. Higurashi cleared her throat and peered at her eagerly-awaiting-a-good-explanation raven haired daughter and an equally better-be-good anxious hanyou, who were both unblinkingly staring at her. They remained staring at each other for a few moments before again the older woman cleared her throat and stood up from her seat.

"You know what…I think we should drink some tea..." A smile tugged on her lips as though her statement would win her the lottery.

Kagome groaned, smacked her forehead with the palm of her hand—an obvious gesture of exasperation—and glowered at her mother as she went about preparing some of her favorite cinnamon apple tea. _Only my mother is capable of making tea when something _really_ important needs to be discussed._

"Gosh mom, you're hopeless! This is serious! Besides, I want to finish my homework done before it gets too late! And **what** am I supposed to do about Inuyasha?!"

"Hey, what's **that** supposed to mean, hm?" Inuyasha interjected, glaring at the teenager next to him.

The raven-haired miko met his glare head on, not one trace of fear or weakness cowering in her chocolate eyes. It momentarily baffled Inuyasha how this annoying woman met his glares dead-on without quivering.

He had to admit he never met anyone with those qualities other than his older half brother, Sesshoumaru. But the demon stepped down to no one—people just ran away from him with their tails between their legs.

_Keh! Great, now I'm stuck with stubborn bitch._ Impressive for Kagome to be categorized with the bastard who he swore suffered from frostbite.

Kagome stuck her tongue at the offended hanyou once he growled in protest. "Just what I said, got a problem with it?" She received her answer when his lightly tanned skin flushed from restrained fury.

"Now, now, you two, no fighting at the table or I won't explain anything. And secondly, I always say you can't start an important, concentrated conversation without some hot tea on hand. I'm sure you two could wait just a little while until the tea is ready," Mrs. Higurashi said in a heart warming tone.

She wasn't really reprimanding, though, since she smiled gingerly at the two fuming teenagers and turned back to preparing some tea for everyone. The other two occupants of the kitchen quirked an eyebrow, baffled.

"I swear, mom, you and tea should date and get married..." Kagome shook her head in pity for her mother, but smiled despite her incredulity.

"Didn't you know, dear? Tea proposed to me years ago—we're already married!" Mrs. Higurashi chuckled. Inuyasha could only blink and cock his head, not really understanding the exchange between mother and daughter, but he reasoned he didn't want to know anyway...

"Oh, how could I forget?" Mrs. Higurashi suddenly paused filling a small red tea kettle with water and turned towards the silver-haired hanyou. "Inuyasha, how would you like your tea? Regular sugar, extra sugar, a little bit of honey in it?"

Inuyasha stared at the woman with short raven hair for a few moments before pondering her question. In the immortal realm, he drank tea almost every day, but the servants who prepared it always successfully assumed what he desired.

How was he supposed to know how much sugar he preferred?!

"Psst," Kagome whispered to him as if whatever she was about to say was a secret war plan, and there was a child-like twinkle in her chocolate eyes that scared him, too, "ask for the extra sugar with the drop of honey in it. Trust me, it tastes super good!"

Inuyasha mused if he should trust this teen suffering from random fits of rage, yet he had no preference of his own, so he'd use hers.

_Just this once. _There was no way he was asking for her opinion again! _Keh! Damn right! Soon enough, she'd just poison my food to get rid of me!_

"Uhh, I guess the extra sugar with the drop of honey in it is okay for me...um, Mrs. Higurashi." How was he supposed to address Kagome's mother again?

Mrs. Higurashi, Higurashi-sama, madam—the last one he never used before and probably never would—but he hoped Mrs. Higurashi would do. So far, she was giving off a kind impression; a woman possessing no blackness in her heart. Her scent, a graceful combination of jasmine and lavender, was calming to his jittery nerves in a foreign place.

Sooo...obviously she was far from a potential enemy!

Now that he thought about it, Kagome inherited her mother's fragrant scent—hers was only jasmine, though. Ah, his three favorite scents: jasmine, lavender, and vanilla. They reminded him of his deceased mother...a beautiful, eloquent woman who was actually a lot like Mrs. Higurashi.

It reawakened the child in him that forever longed the comfort of a mother ever since the fateful day she was supposedly murdered. No, he barely remembered it—one of his servants just informed him of her murder.

Then again...he couldn't remember anything prior to waking up that morning...

The older woman chuckled once more and nodded in response. "Alright dear, I'll serve you what Kagome will be having. And please, call me Mom! Mrs. Higurashi makes me sound so...old!" Again she grinned and turned back to her previous actions, now gathering five mugs and her required supplies.

To call someone Mom again...it struck a cord in Inuyasha. To have someone to lean on, rely on...would that really happen with Mrs. Higurashi? Or was this just another dream? Why this woman was so kind to him, so naturally maternal that it roused the good memories of him and his own mother, truly baffled him.

He must be one lucky hanyou.

Especially a _hanyou_, an abomination rejected by almost everyone. Heh, it was ironic.

Kagome giggled at the completely confused expression on Inuyasha's face, and her lips then curved into a warm smile. She was happy for him; even though she ranted about how annoying he was, she could still decipher his longing for a mother ever since his was taken from him.

The fact that he was here today on the deceased woman's whim revealed his loyalty to her—he was a good son and loved her dearly. Thinking about it just made her sigh in contentment. Yeah, Inuyasha was a mama's boy.

Err...why was Kagome thinking about him in the first place?

She blinked and furrowed her eyebrows, mulling over this new development. It would be an outright lie if she said she felt like they were strangers; it was quite the opposite, actually. Reading into almost his every single thought was easy, trusting him was natural, she laughed with him before she could stop herself—what was wrong with her?!

They only met about an hour ago!

But...the strangest part was that...

...she hardly minded at all.

Kagome failed to realize that she was openly staring at Inuyasha while his golden amber eyes fixed on her quizzically, yet she only snapped out of her reverie once the hanyou spoke in a gruff, indifferent voice.

It was his mischievous smirk, though, that alerted her to danger... "Hmph, you might want to move your hand off the table unless you like hairy black spiders crawling on you..."

The teen's eyes widened a huge fraction and a blood curling, or ear curling in Inuyasha's case, scream escaped her lips. Damn! Her screams were most likely heard all the way in the immortal realm as well as the whole universe! She apparently had no consideration for other people with sensitive ear drums AKA him!

Kagome immediately stood up from the table, accidentally knocking her chair on the floor, and tightly shut her eyes while screaming, "KILL IT KILL IT **KIIILL IIIT!!!"**

At her daughter's abrupt screams, a shocked Mrs. Higurashi dropped the tea kettle in her hands filled with water, slices of fresh red apples, pieces of rolled cinnamon sticks, and other spices on the floor. She sighed, shaking her head at the two immature teenagers prior to cleaning the mess up. _Kids will be kids, I suppose._

After a while, to make sure that the coast was clear, Kagome cracked an eye open and glanced at the mahogany table in front of her, furiously hoping that the spider was dead. Yet, there wasn't a spider, or dead spider, in sight...not one single remnant of it. "W-What...?"

And not to mention a certain silver-haired hanyou god was practically guffawing at her incredulous expression. Her chocolate eyes soon lost their cheerful sparkle and resembled the fires of hell...

"Inuyasha must die...Inuyasha must die..." She was petrifying with her trembling fists, dark eyes hidden beneath her raven bangs, and monotonous chant—not even the hanyou could find humor in it. "**INUYASHA MUST DIE!!!" **

**"CRAP!" **

Inuyasha finally understood that his life was being threatened and wasted no time to jump from his seat. Hey, he might be immortal, but he wasn't made of steel and he rather avoid pain at all costs! _Shit, shit, shit, shit! She's going to chop my balls off!_ He needed those, dammit!

And so...the chase began.

It first condensed around the kitchen, but there was barely enough room, so the cat and dog, more like dog and cat, ran into the family room. Souta and Grandpa Higurashi stopped playing monopoly since they had been on their way to investigate what Kagome's screaming, yet they understood perfectly.

Heh, no one could mistake what occurred with a 'running-to-save-his-balls' freaked out hanyou and a 'castrate-then-torture-him-slowly' miko hunting him. The three sutras in Gramps hands—he surmised Inuyasha decided to finally attack—dropped to the carpeted floor once a blur of silver and red, then green and blue whirled by him.

Grandfather and grandson shared a confused look, but shrugged and decided to play another game since monopoly was becoming boring. They had already used up all the money left behind, shared Mrs. Higurashi's property on the board, and _honestly_ owned every single space on the board.

It was a tie as to who actually won...ahem.

"How 'bout we play The Game of Life, Gramps?" Souta asked as though he transformed into a robot, retrieving the aforementioned game from the television stand cabinet after replacing the previous one.

The elder man only shrugged—he was going insane anyway. "Why not? It's certainly more normal than our life already."

"You finally said something right! Whoohoo!"

Gramps crossed his arms, but hid a smile, nonetheless. "You better watch your mouth, m'boy, or I'll cast a spell on you to make you lose the game..."

Souta rolled his dark brown eyes and smiled fondly at his grandfather, whose air of arrogance nearly suffocated him. "Sure. Why don't you try your strongest spell, Gramps? I'm sure I'll turn out to have the highest pay day."

There, he could breathe again! Ha! No more arrogance!

"Aww, don't worry! I still love you—just don't ask for money." Gramps chuckled heartily in reply and sat down near the coffee table as Souta set up the game board.

"We'll see about that, m'boy."

**

* * *

**

After a about ten minutes running around the house, Kagome and Inuyasha at long last settled down in the kitchen once again. However...they were merely hosting a glaring contest...that was, until Kagome blinked at the same moment Inuyasha sneezed.

Just as it was for their former dog and cat chase, it was unknown who was the real winner. Oh well!

Inuyasha, now with nothing to do while the miko across from him stared blankly at the table, occupied himself by watching Mrs. Higurashi prepare a second batch of tea.

The process mesmerized him—it was nearly a blow to his pride that he was at loss on how to prepare something as simple as tea. She cut pieces of red apples as she hummed, and then dumped the slices in an orange teapot filled with water and strange, rolled cinnamon-scented sticks already sitting on the stove.

He was very confused as to how that giant metal thingy worked. His nostrils picked up on the humid, evaporating water around it, and he could hear the low simmering of the water inside the pot; therefore, the machine was heating the pot.

But there were no flames involved.

Heat came from fire, right?

Well, today was his day of severe confusion.

"It's called a stove. This one's powered by electric energy to heat up the tea kettle. It's the latest version of home appliances—it's easier to use than a regular stove." Inuyasha glanced at Kagome as she explained and fleetingly wondered if she was still mad at him.

Well, her expression was serene, though appearances were usually deceiving.

_Keh, this woman is full of surprises._ And pent up rage, that was for sure.

Hm, she definitely wasn't angry because she continued. "Anyway, that tall machine over there is a refrigerator. It stores easily spoiled foods like meat and vegetables. One side, the right side, keeps food in a cool temperature while the left side freezes them."

Kagome pointed to a large, cream-colored object across the stove as she explained it, and Inuyasha only nodded in awe. When there wasn't a way, mortals made one, he supposed.

"What's that thing on top of the 'stove'?"

Kagome looked to where Inuyasha was gesturing to and smiled once she recognized it as a microwave. It was creamy beige, bought to match all the appliances in the kitchen. "That's a microwave, which uses artificial energy to heat portions of smaller foods quicker than the stove does."

"Interesting… It must make life easier, but I wouldn't put it past mortals to think of new, weird things."

Kagome giggled at his awed tone of voice. "Yup, sure does!"

The rest of the minutes passed in silence, well not in complete silence since Mrs. Higurashi was still humming, but it was quiet for Inuyasha and Kagome. Soon, the aroma of cinnamon and apples reached the sensitive nose of the hanyou and he found himself delighting in the scent.

He'd never smelled anything so good before! The teas formerly made for him smelled of chamomile and other herbs while this one...this one smelled splendidly sweet with a tinge of spice. Not a hot, burning spice—he hated spices because his taste buds were very sensitive—but it was a..._good_ smelling spice.

"What's...what's that smell?" Inuyasha asked, inhaling the sweet aroma that now surrounded the kitchen. It was intoxicating, and he felt drugged on the scent. Yet he wasn't complaining.

_Very_ far from it, actually.

Kagome laughed, since he looked like a dog that just caught the scent of fresh, cooked meat, and replied in a sort of proud tone, "That's Mom's fresh, homemade cinnamon apple tea! Smells good, doesn't it?"

"You got that right..." Gods, if it smelled good, then it must taste good, too...

Moments later, Mrs. Higurashi poured the contents of the tea kettle into five differently colored mugs with a small strainer on top of each of them. She then reached into a cabinet in front of her and retrieved a green container with the tip of a spoon pointing out of it. It was glittering white sugar, and she poured a few spoonfuls of it into each mug, mixing it little before placing a drop of golden honey in all of them.

The two awaiting teenagers were almost drooling...

Mrs. Higurashi smiled in triumph. The operation was successful! "There, all done! Souta, Father! The tea's ready!"

After she handed each Kagome and Inuyasha a mug—Kagome's was light blue with a purple smiley face on it and Inuyasha's was crimson with an evergreen tree on it—Souta and Grandpa Higurashi came into the kitchen. The two received their mugs, hurriedly nodded in thanks, and returned to the family room.

Seemed like their game was at its prime...

Inuyasha sniffed the contents of his mug with a look of complete heavenly pleasure and sipped his tea. Kagome and Mrs. Higurashi took one look at him and burst into giggles. The expression on his face was priceless; it was of a puppy who found his long lost paradise!

Kagome also sipped hers and had to agree that this was her mother's supreme creation. Nothing could beat this tea—it was the best of the best! "So, now that we have tea, may we start our 'important, concentrated conversation', please?"

Mrs. Higurashi's expression became grim, causing Inuyasha and Kagome to stare questioningly at her, even forgetting about their delicious teas. But the older woman then brightened after sighing.

"Well, I guess I've put it off for long enough. But first, can you tell me how you two met?"

Kagome and Inuyasha shared a look, and the miko finally took the hint to explain their encounter. "Ok...I fell asleep in my dorm, and I was having a dream about being in some kind of paradise. I was walking through a forest when I saw a reddish, golden glow. I followed it, and I saw him."

"How many times do I have to tell you it wasn't a dream?" Kagome shrugged and Inuyasha shook his head. "She had somehow transported herself into my private training grounds in the immortal realm. Before that, I was handed my mother's journal, and I read that her dying wishes were for me to find my fiancée, a girl named Higurashi Kagome. It also stated that you would help us if we needed answers."

"While I was on my way here, I met up with him again. And to make a long story short, we ended up here..._together_."

Mrs. Higurashi digested the information while sipping her mug of tea quietly until she noticed that the two teens had finished their 'chance meeting'. "So, Izayoi died. It's such a pity that a wonderful woman like her had her life ended so abruptly."

"How do you know my mother?" Inuyasha repeated the same question he had asked before, now with the intention of having it answered. Kagome wondered the same, so she paid close attention to her mother as she spoke.

"I don't know if your mother ever told you or not, but she was actually _mortal_. Her family was immortal of course, rulers of the Eastern Kingdom, but she was born in the mortal realm instead of the immortal one like you were, making her susceptible to death. Inuyasha, you're only _half_-immortal—you can live for eternity but able to be killed."

_What?!_ This came as a complete shock to Inuyasha. His mother was mortal?! He was only half-immortal?! Why hadn't he known this?! It was surely something worth knowing, dammit! _Great, now not only am I a hanyou, but I'm also merely half-immortal._ Hmph, another outlet for ridicule.

He wondered if everyone else in the immortal realm knew except for him...

Mrs. Higurashi soon acknowledged his silence as a plea to continue. "Izayoi and I went to school together—her parents left her in this realm for her safety—and we grew to be best friends. However, many people didn't realize that she was special...and by that, I mean she also had the ability to see into the future. Anyway, when we were in our senior year of high school, Izayoi met the love of her life, InuTaishou, in a dream like you had, Kagome."

Inuyasha sat rock still. His father had also been murdered when he was very young. He barely remembered him other than the fact that he was a good father. Dammit, there was a huge gap in his mind for some reason! Supposedly, it was because of some kind of head trauma he suffered during a battle, but he wasn't so sure about it.

_Wait...do demons even suffer from amnesia?_ Who knew?

"Yes! I'm not the only one with the weird dreams! Whew!" Kagome sighed in relief and her mother spared her a small smile before continuing her story.

"InuTaishou was a powerful demon god, ruler of the Western Kingdom in the immortal realm. He and Izayoi later on had many encounters with each other; he would come and visit her, and once she discovered how to travel to the immortal realm, she'd visit him. It wasn't long until they mated. The Eastern Kingdom and the Western Kingdom were united, and shortly after, you were born, Inuyasha."

"Aww, you must've been a cute baby, Inu-kun!" Kagome cooed at the blushing hanyou, who growled at her pet name. Hell, why was she giving him a pet name in the first place?!

"Keh! Don't call me 'Inu-kun'!" It demeaned his masculinity!

"Whatever...Inu-kun..."

"Kagome must die...Kagome must die...Kagome must die..."

"Moving on..." Mrs. Higurashi wanted to avoid another chase around the house—she just remodeled after all! "Around the same time Izayoi mated InuTaishou, I married Kagome's father, and surprise! Kagome came!" Both teens stared at the giggling woman with blank expressions.

"Anyway, you two actually knew each other since you were infants. You'd play together, sleep together; heck, you even _bathed_ together." She paused to look at the faces of two shocked and disgusted teenagers sitting across from each other and laughed.

Hmm...now there was a reason why the couple felt like they knew each other since forever... But why couldn't they remember their so called past together? They were stumped!

"And so, there arose the idea to have the both of you married once you were both eighteen. We assumed that you'd both eventually fall in love with all the time spent together, and it made Izayoi very happy. Obviously, things didn't go according to plan. But, we all agreed at the time, and it was settled. You two are to be married when you are eighteen, and I'm not breaking my promise to Izayoi."

**"WHAT?!" **Two very shocked, confused, and angry teenagers shouted in unison. Mrs. Higurashi laughed nervously and took a long sip of her tea, finally finishing it. Uh oh, now she lacked a distraction...

"Mom, **how **could you?! I don't want to be married by force—I want it out of love! I want to **choose** the man I love!" Kagome yelled, throwing her hands up in the air. "I thought arranged marriages were abolished in Japan!"

Inuyasha, despite his own shock and anger, reeled at her. Gods, how annoying can a woman be?! "There's nothing you can do about it, _woman_, so just **shut** up! Promises are promises, and since it's written in my mother's journal, I guess I made one, too."

He refrained from calling Kagome the usual 'wench' since her mother was present, and for some reason, he highly valued her opinion. She didn't seem like the type of person to voluntarily give her daughter away to a stranger just for the hell of it; Mrs. Higurashi must know what she was doing.

"You **can't** be serious!" He could say he made a promise, yet Kagome never did!

"Well too bad, I _am_ serious! Don't think I'll marry you because I have no life—I'm doing this for my mother's memory! If marrying a crazy girl like you would make her happy, then so what? It's the least I can do for her dying wish! I suggest you do this for your own mother because she has her reasons!"

"When did _you_ start caring about reason and what not?! What if I say I don't want to marry you? If what Mom says is true, I still don't like you, I still don't love you, I still don't _remember_ you! What makes you think I'd marry you just so that you can fulfill your mother's dying wish?!"

"Kagome, that's enough."

The surprised raven-haired teenager stared at her mother, who was actually glaring at her daughter, before she calmed down and quieted. She crossed her arms, copying Inuyasha's exact pose at the moment, and said nothing more as Mrs. Higurashi steered the conversation.

"Now, listen to me, the both of you. Kagome, you can't believe that I would deliberately sell you off to marriage if I didn't think it would benefit you. Maybe you won't be marrying for love as I thought, dear, but believe me when I say that I have your interest in mind. Inuyasha, thank you for accepting it and I trust you to take care of my daughter. And that's why I'm arranging for you to be enrolled into her school."

Kagome gaped. "**WHAT?!** No way, Mom, he won't survive for one second!"

"**Why** the **hell** do you always assume that I don't know shit, **wench**?!" His dam broke—he hardly cared what he called this annoying, whiny, bratty bitch in front of her mother now.

It was true, though! He was _tired_ of Kagome implying that he didn't belong in her realm or he would have a hard time assimilating! He could do whatever the hell he wanted, and he was going to prove that he could survive in this realm!

Wait a second...he was going to school? Huh?

The miko rolled her chocolate eyes. "I don't 'assume'—I _know_ it! You can't deny that the modern world confuses you! How can you expect to learn everything about the mortal realm, modern technology, and school subjects in such little time?! Besides, you need a scholarship or a whole lot of money to get into my school, and I don't see any of that happening!"

"Don't you **dare** fucking—"

Mrs. Higurashi interrupted Inuyasha's retort with a steady and calm tone of voice, "Inuyasha, dear, please watch your language." The hanyou kehed and mumbled an apology while Kagome blew a victorious raspberry at him.

"Kagome, dearest, I always have plan no matter what. I was actually anticipating Inuyasha's return and I kept all of the documents Izayoi handed me once he arrived. All that's left is to call Imei Academy, tell them they have a new student, and Inuyasha will be returning with you tonight. No big deal!"

Mrs. Higurashi seemed happy and excited about it—gah, impossible! This couldn't be happening to the both of them!

Oh dear...it _was_ happening...

Kagome stared at her mother with the bottom of her mouth hanging wide open, while Inuyasha was in a similar state. "Mom, you're amazing. You and Izayoi are amazing."

"No kidding..." Inuyasha mumbled absently, wondering just how much Kagome's mother and his own mother had fantasized about their children getting married.

Geez, to have everything prepared for his arrival, Mrs. Higurashi—well, _Mom_—had known he was coming ages ago!

Ugh, his head was throbbing...

"Hmm, look at the time! Well, Kagome, Inuyasha, I think you should get going; it's pretty late and dark outside. Just let me hand you the papers before you leave!" Mrs. Higurashi then left to retrieve Inuyasha's registration papers.

Registration...he was being registered into school...it wasn't sinking in.

The two teenagers still failed to digest the information recently presented to them and were just sitting there, waiting for the raven-haired woman to return. This was a very strange situation for the two teenagers, and Kagome refrained from questioning how her mother and Inuyasha's mother pulled off creating an identity for him to live in the mortal realm with her.

She guessed all he needed to do now was learn about the modern era...and maybe about some academics as well... _What am I, a personal tutor? I better get paid._

Five minutes later, Mrs. Higurashi arrived with a large, plump orange envelope in her hands and a huge grin on her face. She placed the envelope on the table for the teenagers to observe. Well, they were still gazing at her with wide, unblinking eyes. Not that it deterred her excitement, though.

"In here is everything you'll need to register Inuyasha into Imei Academy. All you have to do is give the forms to the guidance office, have Inuyasha sign some papers, and have him take an ID picture. Among other forms in this envelope is his social security card, passport, Izayoi's papers, information on his bank account, etc. If you have any more questions, feel free to call at anytime. Now have a good night you two!"

And they were shoved out the door. _Literally_.

Somehow, during the whole informative talk, Mrs. Higurashi had gotten them to stand and ushered them out the door without any protests. Their minds were blank, so they didn't register what happened until the door slammed in their faces. Hmph, to think she was allegedly kind and caring...

Kagome sighed heavily and peered into the orange envelope her mother had given her. There was an infinite amount of papers in it, and she couldn't help but pale.

This wasn't a dream.

Inuyasha was going to _live_ in the mortal realm—not visit, but _live_.

_Oh my gods..._ She was stuck with him now. Would anyone notice if she murdered him and dumped his body by an abandoned road? _Nah, no one will care._ It was a plan, then!

"Now what, wench?" His gruff voice interrupted her thoughts and Kagome stared up at him, noting his underlying curiosity. He was a very curious creature, wasn't he? She should buy a leash.

"Um...I guess you're going to be with me for _more_ than a while. _-sigh- _Let's go back to my school, Inuyasha."

Kagome immediately sought out her bike while Inuyasha groaned. She only giggled as he threw a fit, whining how the stupid bike thingy slowed them down and its color was simply revolting. Pink wasn't her favorite color, either, but it had been her fourteenth birthday present, and the color didn't matter as long as it worked well.

But she suddenly recalled a 'little' problem and stopped, causing Inuyasha to stop in the middle of his ranting as well. "Something wrong, wench?"

"**How** the **heck** am I supposed to explain you to my friends?! We're supposed to hang out tomorrow, and I can't bail on them now! You don't even have any modern clothes!" She covered her face with her hands and furiously shook her head, as though that alone would solve her new predicament.

Inuyasha blinked at the raven-haired miko in front of him, who was still talking on and on about how she couldn't possibly explain him and her situation to her friends, without any clue as to what was going on. What was the problem with showing him to her friends? Surely there were demons in the mortal realm, so it couldn't be that they were ignorant of demons.

Finally, he resolved to ask. "Hey, wench, what are you—"

"That's it! Inuyasha, tomorrow morning we're going to the mall! Mission Make Inuyasha Presentable must be accomplished at whatever the cost!" Kagome seemed happy about this, and proceeded on taking her bike down the numerous shrine steps before Inuyasha inquired thoughtfully from behind her.

"There's only one problem with that, Kagome."

She stopped in the middle of taking another step, and turned around to face the confused-beyond-belief hanyou god. Two things stopped her. One, he said there was a problem after she supposedly solved it. Two, he alas called her by her real name.

It was a miracle! Geez, _everything_ that had recently happened to her was a miracle! She really couldn't complain about her boring life anymore. Heh, she shouldn't have complained in the first place... An arranged marriage was the result of being a brat.

How lovely.

The miko shook her head and tilted her head up at the hanyou. "And what is this new problem, Inuyasha?"

"What the _hell_ is a mall?"

Kagome only stared at him with a lost expression on her face. _Tomorrow will be a long day..._

* * *

**A/N: Cut. Heh, I didn't like this chapter too much, but there will be others! Ha, how will Kagome explain Inuyasha to her friends? And hey, nothing ever goes out as planned... I wonder if you guys could figure out what that means, MUAHAHAHA!**

**REVIEW! I love reviews! AND I PROMISE THIS TIME THE UPDATE WILL BE QUICKER! FOR REAL!!!**

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**This chappie has been edited since 1-18-09**


	4. Sleeping Arrangements

**A/N: OMG I AM THE WORST PERSON EVER! HOW COULD I HAVE NOT UPDATED THIS WONDERFUL STORY IN OVER A YEAR?!?!?! Sheesh, I'm afraid one of you readers will decide to kidnap me and force me to write a chapter! I think you guys should do that...and get me an anti-writer's block hamster while you're at it...**

**I FINALLY KNOW WHERE I'M GOING WITH THIS STORY! IF YOU GET ME A HAMSTER I'LL UPDATE SOONER! But no promises this time, I don't want to get killed. O.O **

**Merf, and I hope my grammar and tense agreement is a little better. I should invest in a beta reader, but I don't know if I should...**

**Anymelon, enjoy!!! :-D**

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**Oh My Gods! 4**

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His silky silver bangs swayed with the nighttime brisk winds, dancing before cold honey eyes that adeptly scanned his surroundings as he practically glided across the football field towards his dorm house. He detested the world he was forced to live in—dammit, if it wasn't for _her_ and his father's will, he would currently be in the private comfort of his castle in the Western Lands, which was in the _immortal_ realm!

But **no**, he just _had _to be the type of son who was loyal to his father!

Now he found himself betrothed!

Dammit all. _Supposedly_ he knew her, but he didn't _remember_ her! That little fact spoke volumes to him about this woman!

And why the hell were the dormitories so far from the academic buildings?! He had to walk a mile!

_This is ridiculous! Why must I be here surrounded by filthy humans and second-class demons for every single second of the day?_ His thoughts were racing angrily, but his inner turmoil did not show on his outward mask of pure icy indifference. To others, he merely seemed chillingly beautiful. _Despicable mortals. _

And now, his sole problem was the fact that he had to possibly sleep in the same apartment with a mere mortal bitch, who just so happened to be his fiancée! Imagine _him_, the great Lord of the Western Lands, Prince of his father's kingdom, a _demon_ god, having an unworthy, uneducated, unmannered mortal in his vicinity!

Not only that—he nearly went _insane_ when he found out that his future wife was a **human!** _Tons_ of humans had already ogled his looks—and they weren't all _females_, either! Disgusting creatures, they were; he couldn't see himself marrying a mortal.

Why was he, a demon god, in the mortal realm, then?

Because he was a damned son.

But he knew instantly that he wasn't the only immortal on the college campus—he sensed the tenacious aura that could only belong to someone of his bloodline when its owner had passed the guidance office. Hell, even from outside the dorm house he could feel the sheer golden power radiating off the walls in waves, yet of course the power didn't amount to his.

With a growl that was supposed to be a sigh, he realized that of _all_ the prestigious schools in the mortal realm, he and his younger half-brother were attending the _same_ damn academy.

And as he neared the building, he sensed the aura strongly coming from the fifth-floor...where his own apartment was supposed to be.

Hopefully, he and his brother were on _opposite_ ends of the floor.

_Knowing the half-breed, I'll never hear the end of it if I have to tell him why I'm in the mortal realm. I knew I should have killed him when I had the chance._ It was his father's entire fault for not letting him chew the whiny brat's head off when they were pups.

Sesshoumaru was finally able to sigh without growling once he neared his dorm house, though was pretty annoyed when he saw a group of guys—were they drunk or something?—yelling profanities at someone. He hardly cared, but the fact that they were obstacles in his way was ticking him off.

How dare those mortals cut off his path and expect him to walk around them! And it was all over some stupid, human teenager standing nervously in the center of a circle composed of five guys!

The fact that it was illegal to just kill them darkened his mood.

Damn his luck.

"So, babe, you said you wanted to be on your way? Would that happen to be on your way to my bed? Smart girl..." The dog demon hated the shrill voice of the human bastard in his line of sight.

Surely the imbeciles heard him coming towards them, or were they too stupid to use their ears for a change? Oh well, he needed some stress relief at the moment.

And why did mortal men have no respect for women? On her way to his bed—what the hell kind of line was that?! Her scent wasn't tarnished by the sweat of hundreds of men like a whore's... From where he stood about a few meters away from the group, she smelled like vanilla and lilies...he admitted it was a rather soothing and pleasant scent...

What the hell?! _Am I already going insane being in the presence of mortals? _Probably.

**SMACK!**

"Don't touch me! Just move!" He had to give the girl props for being brave and slapping the bastard. Everyone else 'oohed'.

"Hey, Jiro, I think she's askin' you to fuck her brains out!"

_Humans are all disgusting, vile creatures that should rot in hell or fall prey to my poison whip...especially human males. Have they no dignity? _Sesshoumaru felt like he could rant about the pitiful scum human men were for an eternity, but he summed it all up with two words: man whores.

Human men were man whores—simple as that.

Now he was about ten feet away and still no one noticed him. And all this commotion was occurring directly in front of his dormitory building—they were all blocking the doorway.

Damn them all once more.

Where the hell was security? These lazy mortal law enforcements were just asking for him to dispose of these wretched vermin the old fashioned way. Not that he'd complain about some bloodshed...

"Move." The circle of five college students immediately formed a u-shape at the cold, commanding tone of his deep voice, allowing him full view of the girl they were harassing—she had immediately gasped at the sight of him, but he ignored it—and their leader.

The bastard himself was a sewer rat compared to his looks and power; he was just a poor idiot seeking attention and someone to warm his bed. If he was allowed to use his immortal powers, the sewer rat would instantly cease to exist.

Hmph, pathetic.

The leader of the group scoffed and turned to him. "You talking to me, pretty boy with the long, freakish hair?"

_Freakish hair? _What the hell? Sesshoumaru's eyes narrowed. _My hair is _not _freakish._ "Move or I will make you move."

Jiro, the dark-haired leader, smirked and stood his ground, crushing the girl to his side with his free arm. She looked desperate with her big, glassy cinnamon eyes pleading at the nearby dog demon to help her. Apparently, her attempts at freedom failed miserably.

Why did her near-tears affect him so much that his vision flashed red once or twice? He didn't care about the amazingly cute teenager with the tantalizing scent of lilies!

Right?

"Why don't you just go get a manicure and leave me and my girl alone? We're just having a small lover's quarrel that's none of your business, bitch," Jiro spat, smirking as if he had already won the 'fight'.

Sesshoumaru quirked an eyebrow, incredulous. He was also _not_ a bitch. Dog: yes. _Female_ dog: no. And he never had a manicure—no one touched him with putrid chemicals and lived to tell about it. It was not his fault his nails—or _claws_—were always immaculate.

The obsidian haired teenager, who Sesshoumaru guessed to be around seventeen, started struggling once more. "_Your _girl? _Lover's_ quarrel? All of that came out of your ass, you dick! Let go of me!"

Her struggles, however, were futile because that Jiro bastard threw her forcibly onto the ground, probably threatening a few bruises and scratches on her arms. _Furthermore_, the now furious bastard was even going to strike her directly in the face with his closed fist, and the girl only awaited the pain with her cinnamon eyes tightly squeezed shut.

Yet...the pain never came.

"Do you know what I detest the most?"

The girl snapped her eyes open at the sound of a velvety, rich deep voice coming from directly in front of her. She gazed up and was met with the wonderful sight of a silver-haired dog demon gripping Jiro's fist with one clawed hand, nearly crushing it, if the look of pure agony on the shaggy haired asshole's face was enough proof.

Even though his expression was cold, the teen couldn't help but to muse that the dog demon protecting her was handsome...beautiful even...

Jiro whimpered and begged fruitlessly to be released. Sesshoumaru refrained from rolling his eyes and only tightened his grip further. "Answer me, human. Do you know what I detest the most?"

"F-Fuck o-off—**AHH! **Ok, ok! I give up—I don't know!" Why weren't his friends helping him? They ran off a while ago; Jiro, a coward, was surrounded by more cowards. "W-What do you...d-dete-est?"

"I detest lowly scums like you who feel the need to hit defenseless women in order to feel secure of their masculinity. Do you know what I do to those lowly scums?"

Jiro didn't want to know, though he shook his head nonetheless. His face was beet red from enduring so much pain.

Sesshoumaru allowed a small smirk appear on his chiseled face, a smirk that was far from amusement and bordered on complete malice. He was a born killer; anyone could tell by the tiny, rather creepy smirk that had yet to fade. "I kill them."

**"NOOOO!!! PLEASE DONT KILL ME!!! I DONT HIT WOMEN!!! I'M REALLY GAY!!! I HAVE A BOYFRIEND AT HOME!!!"**

"Then leave my sight at once...and I wish to never see you again."

With a broken sob forming in his throat, Jiro scurried off when Sesshoumaru let him go, and never once looked back at the '_scary_ pretty boy with the long, freakish silver hair'. The dog demon was dismayed; he couldn't actually kill the human, but threatening him felt immensely good... Alas, the thought of being betrothed and having to live near his brother finally shot out of his mind!

Yes, he was a born killer, a demon god who had completed his necklace and held ultimate power back in his realm.

He was death.

"E-Excuse me..."

Oh wait—Sesshoumaru completely forgot about the girl he 'unintentionally' saved. He did _unintentionally_ save her, right? He just really hated bastards who hit women and desired to teach that human a lesson—nothing more, nothing less!

Then...why had he only reacted when Jiro's fist had been descending upon the teenager? Why had his heart stopped as if an enemy was about to land a fatal blow on him?

Argh! Curse human mortals for reawakening his 'nonexistent' emotions! Seriously, they had no right to render him like this!

Sesshoumaru glanced at the dark-haired student, who was now standing to his right. The scent of blood wasn't emanating from her, so the worst injuries she possibly attained were a few bruises.

_Good. _Wait—why did he care if she was hurt or not? Either way, he admitted that she was quite attractive for one of her petty race with long, lustrous obsidian hair naturally curling at the tips above her waist and a sunny smile that could light up—what?!

She wasn't attractive at all! Hmph!

Gods...he really had to leave...

The teenager gulped and continued speaking when the dog demon glanced at her in acknowledgement. That was as good as a 'what', right? Sheesh, why was she so nervous?! "I just...f-first off, I'd like to thank you for...for saving me back there—"

"I did not save you," Sesshoumaru stared ahead at the dorm house's entrance double doors as he spoke, trying to ignore the innocent yet penetrating look he was receiving from a certain _cute_ human—damn, he was losing his mind too soon. "That human scum was in my way."

The girl hid a bemused smile. _Suuure, whatever you say... _"Well, thanks anyway. Those guys just came out of nowhere and pounced on me. I don't think I could have gotten out of that one alone!" She grinned, and Sesshoumaru wondered why he was pleased with her sincere gratitude... "And secondly...well...this question might be out of the blue, but..."

She hesitated, and Sesshoumaru absolutely _hated_ it when people refrained from voicing their opinions and forced him to idly wait for another meaningful sentence. "Speak your mind. I have things to attend to."

That gave her the courage to continue, at long last. "Well...does your name happen to be Sesshoumaru? Maebashi Sesshoumaru?"

Hold on a second—this human knew his name! He hadn't visited the mortal realm in years—_no one_ should know his name! Although he had been residing in the city while learning modern concepts and technology for future references, he hadn't confided his name to people!

Much less to this human teenager, whom he had _never_ met before in his entire life... Her scent was tantalizing; he was positive he'd remember it—crap, there he went again!

But...his fiancée was a human, too...a human with dark hair...who was a student...and...

Damn.

Damn, damn, damn, **DAMN!!**

_This can't be...don't let this be...she can't be!_ Sesshoumaru's dread wasn't expressed in his collected tone of voice as he responded, "I presume you are Rin Osaka."

The obsidian-haired teenager beamed widely at him. "Yup, that's me! So you're my dog demon fiancé, huh? I've heard much about you!" She failed to notice when her fiancé uncharacteristically winced.

He raised a delicate, thin dark brow at her bubbling statement. "I see..." Well, his father really outdid himself.

The deceased King of Makai just _had_ to arrange a marriage with his complete opposite—a human woman who showed too many emotions, especially in her glittering, transfixing cinnamon eyes. He was a truly damned son.

"Come, I'm sure you are aware of our new...apartment."

Rin pouted cutely at his indifferent attitude, but shrugged it off and linked arms with him anyway. To say that Sesshoumaru was shocked was an understatement—his eyes, yes, his perfectly shaped icy eyes actually widened! "Alright, then let's hurry! I have _so_ much homework to do that it's not even funny!"

She smiled up at him and giggled...and it was then that Sesshoumaru knew he wasn't only a damned son...

...he was going to be one whipped husband, too.

**

* * *

**

Kagome couldn't believe what had just happened.

Ok, so she and Inuyasha had entered the academy's lobby and hastily went to the guidance office. The head guidance counselor, a kind mid-forty year-old woman who immediately put her attention solely on them, had already known about Inuyasha's arrival and easily registered him.

She had only asked to see his papers and whatnot, and then he took his ID picture, which was an event utterly hilarious to Kagome. The hanyou had been so confused once he saw the digital camera and sported the look of an innocent puppy on his boyishly handsome face.

Thank gods he was smart enough to not inquire about the digital contraption or he would draw attention to himself. But Kagome figured he stopped himself from asking due to his overwhelming his pride...

Anyway, Inuyasha was officially registered into Imei Academy—no questions asked.

However, it seemed that her mother had intervened a bit here and there. Before the two teenagers had left the guidance office, the kind woman informed Kagome of their new living area. That piece of info baffled the miko since she already shared a dorm with Ayame, an overly hyper wolf demoness, yet apparently her mother was dissatisfied.

And now, Kagome found herself rooming with Inuyasha instead.

She didn't know how the school would even let such a thing happen since girls and boys weren't supposed to room together unless they were eighteen and married. _Maybe...no, surely Mom hadn't told the school of my engagement! _

Even so, Kagome was still in shock at what was happening currently to her...

Not only that...the guidance counselor also said they were going to room with another couple. _I wonder who it could be. I hope Inuyasha doesn't give away the fact that he's a demon god; I don't think anyone around here will believe us. _

"Hey, wench, in what room am I sleeping in?" Inuyasha grimaced as he added as an after thought, "Or rather, _we're_ sleeping in..."

Kagome blinked and turned to face Inuyasha, who was suddenly standing next to her in their double room apartment suite. It reminded Kagome a lot of her old dorm, except of course this one was virtually empty, much bigger, nicer, and had its own bathroom.

Hmph, it was the only plus she could think of at the moment at having to share an apartment with her supposed fiancé...and a _room_ thanks to her meddling mother.

_Sheesh, mama's really pushing it! First she announces that I'm engaged, then she kicks me out of the house, and now she forces me to share a room with my alleged fiancé! Does she want grandchildren this badly?!_ "Umm...it doesn't matter to me which one. You can choose whichever you like."

"Keh, they're both the same!" The hanyou exclaimed, gesturing to two mahogany doors that were across from each other. He had checked both of them while his fiancée stood in a daze in the living room, staring at all her and someone else's things scattered about, and truthfully, the hanyou couldn't find anything different about either room.

What an annoyance, geez.

Kagome shrugged, turning to face her things scattered about the living room. _Hmm, I only see a girl's things in here with mine... Hopefully our roommates aren't two girls; I won't be able to deal with them gushing over Inuyasha._ The thought almost made her growl, but the confused teen stopped before she did.

Was she already becoming possessive?! No!

_I've only known him for less than a day and I act as if he's been my boyfriend for years! What's wrong with me?! _No point in bothering to figure it out—it'd take forever, obviously.

Um, back to an impatiently waiting hanyou! "Exactly, so just pick a side you like best."

"I don't care about a damn side!" Inuyasha threw his arms up into the air, frustrated beyond belief that the miko was too stubborn to do him a favor and pick a mere _room _for them to _sleep_ in!

"And you think _I_ care?"

Inuyasha didn't flinch at her overtly _sugary_ voice. "Yes!"

"Well, too bad! I don't!"

"Can you just pick one, wench?!"

Kagome rolled her eyes and answered nonchalantly, "Fine, take the room on the right. Happy now, my oh so loving and intelligent fiancé?"

The silver haired half-mortal kehed, also rolling his eyes at the raven-haired teen, and retreated to the room while Kagome sighed. _Now I have to reorganize all my stuff. I'm already dead tired._

At least she couldn't wait to go shopping tomorrow! Now that she had her own place—well, Inuyasha wouldn't use up much space—there was extra room to put things where she liked and hang _what_ she liked on the bedroom walls.

_I might as well start putting away some things. I have to finish my homework, anyway, and I can't leave everything for the weekend, _Kagome thought as she entered the room she picked, carrying a basket of her stuff into it.

The room looked like any master bedroom; yet, it was much, much larger than the dorm room she had shared with Ayame. There was even a balcony on the far side of the room, most likely facing one of the academy's surrounding forests, two desks, shelves, built-in wall drawers, a double-closet...

But one detail made Kagome freeze at the door, with the basket still in her hands...

Inuyasha was also staring back at her with a tight frown on his face while standing near their beds...

Well, it should've been _beds_... However, it was only _one_ bed...a queen-sized bed...

The miko unwittingly dropped the basket once her arms slackened. "There's no way I'm sleeping on the same bed as you." Certainly her mother wasn't so insane!

Her fiancé merely scoffed. "Yeah, yeah, wench. It's either we sleep on the same bed, or one of us sleeps on the floor." He then narrowed his vibrant golden eyes when the raven-haired teen parted her lips to speak. "And it ain't gonna be me! I need a good night's rest after all the energy I used to travel to this realm!"

"But I'm not sleeping on the same bed as you!"

"Keh, why not?!"

"What do you mean 'why not'?!"

"What do _you_ think I mean by 'why not', wench?!"

"How am I supposed to know what goes on through your head, hentai?!"

Inuyasha looked taken aback. "H-Hentai? As if I'd do anything perverted to an annoying wench like you who takes five hours to pick a goddamn room out of two that look the fucking same!"

"Hey, I already made it clear that I don't know you as well as I should, and _I_ wasn't the only one who couldn't pick a side!"

"Well, I'm _not_ a fucking hentai!"

"Do you think I know whether or not your hands wander in your sleep?"

**"WHAT?! **T-They d-don't!!" Inuyasha acted like he had been slapped and Kagome smirked slyly, deciding to use the hanyou's innocence to her advantage.

_Is he really this gullible? _The miko stifled a giggle. _He looks really cute right now, with his puppy ears twitching and all. _Wait—cute?! _Ah heck, he's more than cute—he's hot! _At least her fiancé was one gorgeous hanyou rather than some perverted old man. _Ew._

"You're stuttering! I wonder what that could mean..._hentai_." _This is actually pretty fun. Now, if only I can trick him into letting me sleep on the bed..._

**"I'M NOT A HENTAI, WENCH!!!"**

"Suuure, and I am a blonde super model in disguise."

Inuyasha rolled his eyes. "_You're_ a supermodel, whatever the hell that means? Then I might as well be a flying donkey!"

"Hm, so you're a flying-donkey-inuhanyou-half-mortal-hentai. Cool!"

"How many times do I have to tell you that I'm **NOT** a damn **HENTAAAI?!"**

Kagome grinned mischievously. "I won't believe it until you prove it by sleeping on the floor."

"No way in he—" Inuyasha suddenly paused in mid curse and twisted his head to face the door. His eyes were fixed on the entrance to their room, and Kagome noticed his fine nose twitching occasionally, as if he was tentatively sniffing the air.

Why would he sniff the air? _And why's he growling?_

Before the dark haired miko could inquire any further, the silver-haired hanyou suddenly bounded out of the room and towards gods knew where. Kagome blinked at being so easily ignored.

"Did he leave the room because he was really pissed at me?" _No, that can't be it. Inuyasha would keep arguing until his lungs collapsed. Heck, maybe even then he'd still mouth comebacks while he's dying._

There was no sign of his return; therefore, Kagome grinned in triumph. _Well, since he left, I get the bed all to myself._ She smirked at the thought, and for old time's sake, she was about to throw herself on the lovely queen-sized bed...

...however...

**"WHAT THE FUCK ARE **_**YOU**_** DOING HERE?!" **

**

* * *

**

"Sooo..."

"Yeeeah..."

"Grr...bastard..."

"...half-breed..."

Well, this was a sight to see. Kagome rolled her chocolate eyes at her fiancé in annoyance, who ignored the death glare she was sending him. Of course, with the staring—or better yet, growl and glare—contest he was actively participating in, he hardly noticed anything!

_He's so annoying sometimes! Geez, he's going to be even more annoying now that his brother's living with us..._

Yup, the other couple who would be sharing their apartment suite happened to be the couple sitting across from her and Inuyasha—a dark haired teenager, whom she remembered seeing in some of her classes, and a stoic dog demon, who _definitely_ appeared to be related to her fiancé.

The teenager, a girl her age named Rin, was currently looking around her new home, and obviously trying to disregard the dark, chilling vibes coming from the demon glaring back at his younger brother beside her. Kagome sighed; she instantly related with Rin because her own fiancé was a pain in the rear, too.

"Sooo...let me get this straight," Kagome noted the smile of relief Rin sent her from across her in their kitchen table—it was the only piece of furniture in the dorm, excluding anything from the bedrooms, since it was attached to the wall, "Sesshoumaru, you're Inuyasha older brother—"

"_Half_-brother." The two continued to glare at each other, even more so when they both spoke in unison. Talk about sibling rivalry...

"Whatever." Kagome nearly pulled her bangs in frustration as Rin giggled. She was starting to like the younger girl; she was really fun to be around. The miko was glad that she was gaining one good thing from the other bad things recently happening to her: a nice, understanding, not-nosy friend. "Anyway, you're Inuyasha's _half_-brother, and you're engaged to Rin...and you're immortal..."

"And he's the biggest bastard in the whole universe!" Inuyasha narrowed his eyes at his older brother, who nonchalantly flexed his claws, pretending to exercise them. The hanyou growled and copied his actions.

Rin sighed, finally feeling a migraine coming on. "Alright you two, can you at least get along with each other? You're going to be living together for the next year and I'd prefer it if my fiancé didn't become a psychotic murderer."

"I agree with that!" Kagome piped up and high-fived her classmate.

Sesshoumaru glared at the two teens from out of the corner of his eyes. "It is not my fault that this half-breed is too incompetent to admit defeat."

"Hey! I told you five million damn times that I won that match!"

"You did not, liar." The fact that Sesshoumaru was calling anyone a liar was saying a lot—this 'match', whatever it was, truly had no known winner.

Inuyasha scowled. "I'm not a liar! You just have shit for brains!"

"Half-breed, you should not talk so openly about your own physical deformities."

**"WHAT?! **Dammit, get over it already! I won!"

"You did not."

**"YES** I did!!!"

"No, shut up and admit defeat. Coward."

"Keh, bite me!"

"I already did when you were five and I was eight. Have you so easily forgotten?" The dog demon said this with his earlier malicious smirk curving his lips.

Inuyasha cringed at the memory. It wasn't pretty. "Fuck yeah! You almost freakin ripped my head off! I still think my ears are scarred for life thanks to you!"

"You're pathetic and weak. Admit defeat and salvage your pitiable pride."

"Not when you're just a dumb asshole whose pride abandoned him centuries ago!"

Kagome shook her head at the more than asinine conversation the two brothers were having without battling a single eye-lid, and she, along with a sighing Rin, decided to give them some privacy. Besides, they needed the whole kitchen to fit their gargantuan egos—hell, maybe even the whole campus.

Hmph, what were they barking about anyway? What match that Inuyasha had supposedly won, though Sesshoumaru adamantly denied it?

Maybe it was their former glaring contest—the winner was indeterminable.

At least, as far as their fiancées knew.

"So, how did you and Sesshoumaru become engaged? I seriously can't see the two of you getting along at all!" Kagome laughed as she walked into the living room, and took a quick glance around.

She forgot about organizing her things, not to mention about doing her oh so important homework...

Rin smiled and shrugged. "The same way you and Inuyasha did, I guess. I still don't know Sesshoumaru's part of the deal since I just met him on my way here, but supposedly, my parents knew his and they all decided to have us married. Hmph, and here I thought arranged marriages didn't exist anymore..."

"Yes! I'm so glad someone knows what I'm going through!" Kagome exclaimed. "I tried and _tried_ convincing my mom how it's a bad idea—I mean come on, I'm only seventeen—but she didn't budge a bit. _-sigh-_ Now I'm stuck with _that_ hot-head."

"At least yours isn't a _cold_-head." The two girls chuckled, but soon sobered and assessed the things scattered about them.

The living room was a huge mess with containers full of their...stuff laying around, books here and there, papers covering the creamy yellow carpeted floor, and were those their laptops sitting under a box?! No!

"Well, I don't know what's going to become of those two testosterone-driven demon gods in the kitchen, but I have major homework to do. Inuyasha can sleep on the floor for all I care!" Kagome huffed and crossed her arms, glaring at the kitchen entrance at the far end of a hall opposite the bedroom wing.

Rin's cinnamon eyes widened. "Oh my gods! How could I have forgotten about my homework?! I won't be able to do it all weekend!"

"I have a great idea!" The older raven-haired student grabbed her essential things on the floor, of course things that had something to with her homework. "Why don't we both do our homework together in one room, and the guys can work out sleeping arrangements in the other room? There's only one bed in each room, unfortunately..."

_Heheh, Inuyasha's just going to _love_ this... _

"Hmm...our fiancés will end up dead by morning... You're a genius, Kagome Higurashi!" Rin high-fived the grinning-like-an-idiot teen and copied the miko, also rescuing her silver Toshiba laptop from under a...heavy box. Good, it wasn't scratched!

_The people who brought our stuff here were very rude! Couldn't they place things down in a more orderly manner?! And why is my History report all over the place?! It has...it has coffee stains and footprints on it! _No, that meant she had to write it all over again because she was stupid and hadn't saved it on her laptop!

"Alright, it's only nine o'clock." Kagome's eyes suddenly became serious after she gathered all her school items, and she faced Rin with a determined expression on her face. "Let's do this."

The younger girl pumped her free fist into the air. "Right!"

**

* * *

**

She was so tired, so very dead tired. _Ugh, what time is it? _Did it even matter? She wasn't going to wake up anytime soon._ Yeah...sleep, back to sleep... _

It never registered in her mind that she was flush against a rock-hard chest that had nice abs...and wasn't supposed to be there... _I'm really warm...ok, sleep, take me now... _And were there muscular arms around her waist? _Huh? I don't care, though. I'm still warm...now sleep..._

Yup, it wasn't registering.

**RING! RING! RING!**

Kagome bolted upright on her queen-sized bed at the loud sound of a ringing object. Where the heck was the awful noise coming from? Her drooping chocolate eyes soon focused on a vibrating contraption on top of the wooden nightstand right next to her bed.

It was her cell phone creating the horrendous sound. _Who's calling me at this hour? _She sighed, slightly annoyed at being woken up, but picked up the flip-phone, nonetheless.

Yet, she first glanced at the caller-ID.

_Oh no._ Crap. She totally forgot about**them!!!**

"Wench, are you going to stop that goddamn noise anytime soon?"

_W-What the— _Kagome twisted around and almost shrieked when she saw a pair of annoyed golden-amber eyes glaring back at her. And their owner? A handsome silver- haired hanyou god...who was lying on the bed next to her...with his arms propping his head up...which had been around her waist...

...and he was shirtless...

_Oh my gods, oh my gods, __**oh my gods!!! **_Inuyasha was in bed with her! Huh?! If the miko remembered correctly, _Rin_ had nearly collapsed alongside of her last night after finishing their homework! Then what the hell was _he_ doing on her bed?! _And where's Rin?!?! Did he dump her in a graveyard?!_

"Hey, wench, can you make the noise stop already?! My ears are starting to ring!" He narrowed his eyes and flattened his twitching dog ears atop of his head in emphasis. Kagome had been so dazed that she disregarded her cell phone.

The miko sighed to calm herself. She was going to take care of Inuyasha later, but right now...she only nodded and flipped the phone open. "H-Hello?" _Please cancel, please cancel, please say you're canceling! _

And a shrill voice answered from the other line... _"Kagome! Wake up, you sleepy head! It's time to go to the mall!"_

Dang, she was hoping her friends were canceling! Out of the corners of her eyes, she saw Inuyasha's ears perk up at the word 'mall'. She had painstakingly explained it to him the night before, and he seemed curious to see it for himself. _There's no way he'd agree not to come with me. Shoot. Curse overly curious dogs! _

"Umm...well, about that..."

Before she could mutter anything else, one of her friends took the phone from the other and exclaimed something that the raven-haired teen's heart stopping...

_"Hurry up and open the door! The three of us are right outside waiting for you!" _

* * *

**A/N: END! Hmm, I wonder what's going to happen next! YAY! Sessh and Rin are now in the story! I know not many people like that pairing, but I love them, especially now! I'm currently writing a few about them, and I hope to post them up soon! But I'm waiting until they're at least half-way done to post them :-D **

**Sooo...how will Kagome explain her situation to her friends? How will they respond to our gorgeous and shirtless Inuyasha?! And where does Sesshoumaru come into this?! You'll find out next time! Please send me emails and stuff if I take longer to update again! I may need help fighting writer's block!!! JOIN ME IN THE ADVENTURES OF CATHERINE AND...umm...—insert sidekick here—! WE MUST FIGHT THE EVIL TOGETHER!!! **

**Until later! AND I LOVE ALL OF YOU REVIEWERS! EXTRA EXTRA EXTRA HUGS AND KISSES GO OUT TO YOU FOR MY VERY LATE UPDATE! IF I HAD MONEY, I'D BUY YOU ALL SPORTSCARS OF YOUR CHOICE! :-D REVIEW AGAIN AND TELL ME HOW YOU FEEL! **

**No matter how angry you are...ahem...**

**MUCH LOVE! **

* * *

**This chappie has been edited since 1-18-09**


	5. Facing the Next Morning

**A/N: PRAISE VITAMIN WATER AND BROWNIES!!! I FINALLY UPDATED EARLIER THAN THREE MONTHS! OH MY GODS, IT'S A MIRACLE! **

**THE ANTI-WRITER'S BLOCK HAMSTER REALLY WORKED!**

**And here I am with a wonderful update a little over a month after my last one! You must praise me in your reviews so that I'll update so quickly again! :-D Now enjoy!**

**Oh, this goes to Kinkatia—Hmm, I guess I can employ you if you're willing to take the challenge...WE'RE OFF TO THE DESERT! OPERATION BETA READER MUST BE ACHIEVED NO MATTER THE LIVES LOST!! LoL, just kidding! But I'll employ you starting with the next chapter, ok? Thank you lots, my faithful reviewer and reader! :-D**

**Muchas gracias to my reviewers, who all gave me inspiration to keep on writing! Hey, and tokio-japan543 even gave me an idea! A round of applause goes to you!**

* * *

**Oh My Gods! 5**

* * *

_....Recap..._

_W-What the— _Kagome twisted around and almost shrieked when she saw a pair of annoyed golden-amber eyes glaring back at her. And their owner? A handsome silver- haired hanyou god...who was lying on the bed next to her...with his arms propping his head up...which had been around her waist...

...and he was shirtless...

_Oh my gods, oh my gods, __**oh my gods!!! **_Inuyasha was in bed with her! Huh?! If the miko remembered correctly, _Rin_ had nearly collapsed alongside of her last night after finishing their homework! Then what the hell was _he_ doing on her bed?! _And where's Rin?!?! Did he dump her in a graveyard?!_

"Hey, wench, can you make the noise stop already?! My ears are starting to ring!" He narrowed his eyes and flattened his twitching dog ears atop of his head in emphasis. Kagome had been so dazed that she disregarded her cell phone.

The miko sighed to calm herself. She was going to take care of Inuyasha later, but right now...she only nodded and flipped the phone open. "H-Hello?" _Please cancel, please cancel, please say you're canceling! _

And a shrill voice answered from the other line... _"Kagome! Wake up, you sleepy head! It's time to go to the mall!"_

Dang, she was hoping her friends were canceling! Out of the corners of her eyes, she saw Inuyasha's ears perk up at the word 'mall'. She had painstakingly explained it to him the night before, and he seemed curious to see it for himself. _There's no way he'd agree not to come with me. Shoot. Curse overly curious dogs! _

"Umm...well, about that..."

Before she could mutter anything else, one of her friends took the phone from the other and exclaimed something that the raven-haired teen's heart stopping...

_"Hurry up and open the door! The three of us are right outside waiting for you!" _

_...End Recap..._

**"WHAT?!"**

Kagome couldn't believe what she just heard! They were right outside, as in outside? As in...outside?!?! B-But she wasn't even ready yet! And what was she supposed to tell them about her engagement to Inuyasha?

_Wait—crap!!!_ How was she going to even _present _the already peculiar hanyou to her friends without them _both_ facing embarrassment?! _I mean, they'll start asking questions about his gaudy red kimono and I can't just say he works at the shrine! Oh no, this can't be happening! _

"Y-You guys...can't we...uhh...I-I'm not..." She tried telling them to postpone their shopping trip, but it wasn't coming out right!

Now it seemed that her third friend, who was the densest, but most understanding of the three—not to mention the romantic—took the phone and gushed, _"Yeah, Kagome! We're all excited to meet your fiancé, too! I can't believe you let Ayame tell us you're engaged! Well, we'll see ya in a few!" _

And with that, the teenager hung up, not sparing the spluttering raven-haired miko a chance to protest again. Kagome sighed and placed her cell phone on the nightstand.

Her life was over.

"Well, wench...? Are we leaving to that 'mall' thingy any time soon or what?" Inuyasha cocked his head to the side, wondering why the fiery miko was all of a sudden melancholy.

_Wasn't she happy about going to the mall yesterday? _He didn't know why, but the way her head hung low, enough so that her raven bangs covered her eyes, affected him greatly. _Damn, I'm becoming soft!_

He wanted to comfort her...odd as the feeling was...and he wondered if being with her friends meant a good or a bad thing if she would end up acting like this every time. If he scared them away, would Kagome liven up? _I'll gladly try..._

"Inuyasha..."

The hanyou blinked when the miko muttered his name in an overly calm whisper, so calm in fact that chills ran up his spine._ She sounds like she's about to kill me! Err...is she? _He _did_ sleep alongside her when she fervently refused to share the bed with him last night...

...uh oh...

"K-Keh! What do you want now?" He tried to sound unaffected, but he was inwardly wincing.

Kagome's deep chocolate eyes then settled on him... "You have five seconds to explain how you ended up in my bed."

"Uhh..." Was she serious? A blush rose on his cheeks, remembering every single detail of the night before, _especially_ the reason why woke up with Kagome in his arms... Gods, how was he supposed to answer her without the word 'pervert' involved?! "I can't explain it! I just..._did_..."

"So what, you just slept walked?"

"Yes!"

"That's bull! You better tell me _now_ or I swear—"

"Fine!" Inuyasha growled at the fact that he caved in so easily. Kagome was a mystical sorceress of some sort—she had the ability to demolish his stubborn resolve! She placed a spell on him!

_Keh...by the time I'm married, I'll probably be the wench's slave.._. "Before I say anything, you have to promise not to call me a hentai. Got it, wench?"

Kagome rolled her eyes and pulled up the purple covers of her bed—the same ones she used on her old bed in her old dorm. It barely fit the queen-sized bed, and it only covered Inuyasha because of his close proximity.

Yeah...they were still very close to each other...um...

"I shouldn't need to remind you of what you are." She cut him off before he could protest. "Well...? You still have five seconds."

The hanyou sighed. "It happened like this. After you and Rin left to do...whatever, Sesshoumaru and I stayed behind in the kitchen to figure out a winner..."

_...Flashback to Last Night... _

"For fuck's sake, bastard! _Blink_ already!"

"I don't take orders from you, half-breed."

"Grr...I'm getting tired of this..."

"Then simply admit defeat."

"Hells no! Not until I prove to you once and for all that I can beat your dumb ass!"

"Hmph, as if that will ever happen. It is not wise to dream during battle."

"Keh! We can keep this up all night if we have to!"

"I don't see why not. Are you certain you don't require beauty sleep? Gods know you need it."

"Fuck you, bitch!"

"Why is everyone calling me a bitch today?"

"...huh?"

"Never mind. Now, admit defeat."

"_-yawn-_ No."

"_-sigh-_ I thought as much."

This was becoming tiring.

They couldn't remember how much time passed since they last blinked, the signs of exhaustion were starting to show, and all in all, neither brother was going to back down anytime soon. It was a battle of wills because keeping their sleepy eyelids from moving for hours straight took sheer will power.

Well, it was impossible for the two brothers to deny their exhaustion—for one, Inuyasha used a lot of energy to travel between realms and Sesshoumaru...was just tired.

But no one would give up!

Inuyasha narrowed his eyes once they were too dry for comfort, enough so that he was still able to see behind his long lashes, but he was careful not to let his eyelids droop. He noted his brother copying his actions, yet he widened his eyes before the urge to blink overcame him_. _

_I can't take much more of this...so tired...I need sleep...sleep... No! I will _not_ lose to Sesshou-bastard again! I _will_ win this time! _

Though, could he take a break first?

Ah, but it seemed that the end was soon approaching when from out of nowhere, a little vermin in the shape of a black fly flew in between the two immortals. It decided to rest for a while and perched upon Inuyasha's nose...

The hanyou's eyes crossed as he glared at the insufferable insect, hoping it would be intimidated and fly away. However, the thing remained oblivious, and Sesshoumaru smirked at his brother's new adversary.

He cursed under his breath since he merely jinxed himself—the little bug then flew over to sit on his nose once it felt threatened by Inuyasha's growling. Now the hanyou was the one feeling smug at eliminating the insect and watched as the demon god tried to swat at the thing without blinking.

"Having trouble, bastard?" He spoke too soon, because the fly went back to his nose.

"Oh, little brother, I think there's a fly on your nose." And the damn fly flew over to Sesshoumaru once again.

"Ha, it seems to like you more!" _Shit, now it's on me again!_

"No, half-breed, don't confuse yourself. It likes you." _Damn insect, if it wasn't for losing to my brother, I'd put all my attention to kill you. _"Call back your vermin lover, Inuyasha."

"No thanks, it can have an affair."

And much the same mantra continued until all of a sudden, both brothers' noses twitched. They felt an itch in their nostrils, so bothersome that their noses twitched once more.

The fly had long since flown away since it couldn't find a tranquil place to rest, but it had obviously left the two demons with the urge to sneeze. And there was no way either of them could sneeze without blinking—the itch was unbearable; it was going to be a huge sneeze.

_Shit!_ Inuyasha scrunched up his nose, but it was hopeless. _Damn, it's coming! No, I can't lose!_

Sesshoumaru narrowed his eyes and fisted his hands, yet failed in suppressing the oncoming sneeze. _I swear, if I ever see that cursed vermin again, I will not kill it, I will annihilate it. _

The itch, gods the itch! Doom was quickly approaching! And it soon happened...

**"ACHOO!"**

"I win!" Both brothers claimed at the same time, standing from their seats only to step closer to each other, treading forward until they were nearly nose-to-nose.

"No, half-breed, you are mistaken. _You_ blinked first," Sesshoumaru said, his golden honey eyes promising pain if the whelp resisted.

Inuyasha's nostrils flared—he ignored the warning. "As if, bastard! I saw you! _You_ sneezed before I did!"

"We can dispute this the entire night..."

"Sure we can, but I'm going to bed because I know I won."

"Hn, keep denying the truth in your dreams, then. I hope you have a nightmare of how you just lost to your big brother."

"Sesshoumaru," Inuyasha gasped, feigning extreme surprise with a hand over his heart and all, "I didn't know you were psychic! How else can you foretell _your_ nightmare like that?"

In reality, the contest was a stalemate, because both had sneezed at the _same _exact time. No one was going to tell them otherwise, however, since they continued bickering all the way until they reached the hallway to their respective rooms. Their argument only ended after they slammed the door in each other's faces.

Inuyasha growled to himself in annoyance—why couldn't his brother admit defeat for once?! Hell, he was positive the bastard blinked first! _Stupid Sesshoumaru! Stupid fly! Stupid—_

The sight before him erased all and any thoughts from his head and rendered his mind blank. He blinked a couple of times as he tried to comprehend his current predicament.

"Ok..." It seemed as if his side of the bed was occupied by a certain obsidian-haired teenager, while the other side obviously contained his fiancée. She was adamant about him not sleeping next to her, but...

...did she really think he was going to sleep anywhere near Sesshoumaru?!

With that thought in mind, he stormed over across the hall and nearly tore open the mahogany door to his brother's room, only to find the immortal in question a second away from climbing into bed.

The silver haired demon god was done preparing for the night decked in black satin sleeping pants, but before he could sink into the comfort of...a piece of crap bed, he was rudely interrupted by his brother, who stood in the doorway flushed from angrily.

_What does he want now? _Younger siblings were annoying.

"Is there something you'd like, little brother?" Sesshoumaru raised a questioning dark eyebrow, wondering why the hanyou refused to leave him alone and sleep. He also dismissed the fact that his chipper fiancée was no where in sight.

Oh well, it wasn't his problem as of yet.

"Come get _your_ woman off _my_ bed." Inuyasha crossed his arms and tapped his foot impatiently. He wanted to sleep, dammit, but _nooo_, some damn girl just _had_ to fall asleep on his bed! Dammit all!

Sesshoumaru stared at the hanyou blankly. "What woman?"

Inuyasha growled, "You know who the hell I'm talking about! That Rin girl!"

"Rin...who?"

"Your fiancée, for fuck's sake!"

The demon god blinked. "And your point is...? Let her be, Inuyasha; if she wished to fall asleep on your bed, then I commend her for it."

"And where the hell am _I_ supposed to sleep?!" The hanyou refused to acknowledge the fact that Kagome won their earlier battle—he was _not_ going to sink so low as to sleep on the floor!

_Especially_ not when she had obviously aimed for it! _That conniving wench! I bet she told Rin to sleep on my side of the bed just so that I'd have to sleep somewhere else! Keh, she has another thing coming... _

The hanyou's older brother, however, hardly seemed bothered by the fact that he was technically 'bedless'. "This apartment is virtually empty. You can sleep on whichever part of the floor you prefer most. I believe the living room will be your best bet—the carpet is fluffier."

Inuyasha rolled his golden amber eyes at the supposedly 'wise' advice. "Keh, if you don't 'kindly' remove your woman from my bed, then I'll have to do it for you—and trust me, I won't be so kind."

"Touch her and die."

Bingo! He struck a nerve. But why would Sesshoumaru care if he touched Rin or not? No matter, he was winning this battle. With a smirk, Inuyasha said, "But, _dear_ brother, since you won't do it yourself, then _I'll_ have to. And who knows if I'll give into primal urges and decide to—"

The hanyou's smirk widened as his brother stormed past him into the room across the hall and came back not even a second later with his soundly sleeping fiancée snug in his arms. He icily glared at the inferior being standing across from him with a damnable smug expression on his face, and he growled threateningly.

Inuyasha took the hint, for once, and left the room, closing the door behind him before proudly sauntering into his own room, crawling onto his bed without forgetting to turn off the light.

_Heh, I guess you didn't win, wench._ Ah, two victories in a row! He loved winning—no one could tell him that being a winner didn't feel good.

Soon, however, he found himself listening to the even, deep breathing of a certain raven-haired beauty lying beside him. She had curled herself in her purple comforter, which was of course too small for the bed, and her back was to him...

Her soothing jasmine scent was lulling him, causing his inner youkai to contentedly hum in his being. He hadn't known that her scent was so intoxicating; hell, he hadn't even known that a human could smell so sweet.

He craved to bury his nose in her silken locks of raven hair, to lose himself in her scent for the rest of his life, if only to feel a sense of belonging and completion, of serenity and even safety. Inuyasha sighed, pushing away thoughts of being so close to Kagome.

_If she wakes up and finds me anywhere near her, she'd kill me for sure. _Still...he couldn't resist. What would it hurt? _Ok...I'll wake up before her—she'll never know. _

And just like that, the hanyou shifted closer to his fiancée, wrapping his arms around her waist to draw her warmth closer to him. He ended up nuzzling her neck, burying his nose in the crook of her neck where a sweeter version of the scent, if possible, was much stronger than in her hair.

Why was _that_ specific patch of skin on her neck so alluring, so enticing? The scent coming from it calmed him, though, so Inuyasha sighed one last time and banished all other thoughts, already feeling sleep assuaging his tense muscles—the effects of inhaling too much of a soothing scent.

_I can get used to this..._ A small, satisfied smile appeared on his face...and remained planted there for the rest of the night.

_...End Flashback..._

Of course, that smile was erased when the woman in his arms woke up...

"And that's that."

Inuyasha avoided looking at Kagome, hoping that he would be able to live out the rest of his half-immortal life in peace. At the moment, he was glad he left out the part of him getting practically intoxicated by her scent, because he could just feel flames from hell emanating from her.

He didn't dare turn his head to meet her penetrating gaze, but all of that was for nil when she sweetly called his name...

"Inuyasha..."

He cringed and slowly turned to face at her. He wished he hadn't, for what he saw had no other word to describe it other than pure hell.

**"WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU STILL DOING ON MY BED?!?! GET OUT, GET OUT, GET OOOUUUT!"**

**

* * *

**

Rin's eyes twitched in annoyance at the sound of shouting coming from somewhere in the apartment...somewhere close to her and Kagome's room. But...the one shouting sounded feminine...or at least, she _hoped _it was feminine because the only two other people in the whole dorm were males.

It couldn't be Kagome either because the teen was sleeping right beside her. Ugh, she didn't care enough to find out what was happening—she was dead tired. Why, oh _why_ did she have to make her History report ten pages long? It took nearly _three_ hours to rewrite it!

_Can whoever's screaming just shut up for a minute?_ She groaned and snuggled closer to what felt like a rock-hard chest, but she felt warm—no reason to wake up if she was warm, right?

And the arms around her waist responded by drawing her closer to their owner. _Hmm, someone's hugging me. _Being embraced was a great feeling, especially when the one embracing her possessed a muscular physique; so, she wasn't complaining.

Rin currently felt safe and protected.

Err...something was wrong with the scenario in her head, though. And why was...a nose suddenly nuzzling her neck? Her eyes bolted open. _Ok...what happened last night? Since when did Kagome sleep shirtless and have a chest like—-oh my gods..._

A lock of silver hair crossed paths with her shocked cinnamon eyes; a lock of silver hair tinted an icy shade of blue...

"S-Sesshoumaru?" Rin was completely awake now, but she didn't dare move a muscle in fear of disturbing the demon currently sleeping behind her. She soon felt the nose that was affectionately rubbing circles on her soft skin twitch a little bit before settling deeper into the crook of her neck.

A soft sigh of bliss escaped lips dangerously close to the teenager's bare shoulder. _Well, at least I'm not naked...though, I'm still _just_ in a cami... _"Sesshoumaru, are you awake?"

Her response was a growl of annoyance as the muscular arms around her waist tightened somewhat possessively. Rin mentally groaned since she obviously couldn't free herself from the dog demon's strong grip.

_Now what? Sheesh, how can he still sleep through the racket Kagome and Inuyasha are causing? Wait a minute—Kagome and Inuyasha?! How did we all end up—?_

The obsidian-haired teenager's thoughts were cut off with a sharp gasp once she suddenly felt a moist tongue trace a vein on her neck...right where her neck and shoulder met. She knew this was all wrong—heck, they hardly knew each other—and she should be doing something more to stop him...

Rin opened her mouth to try to rouse Sesshoumaru from whatever trance he was in, but she couldn't contain a moan when his sharp fangs joined his tongue in assaulting her neck. _W-What is he d-doing?! _

And why did she like it so much?!

"O-Oh gods, S-Sessh—" Her words were interrupted by another gasp half moan as his tongue and fangs grew harsher, pressing forcibly on the sensitive skin on her neck, nipping at it...

_I have to stop him..._ Rin fisted the white sheets beneath her as she tried to restrain herself from making her pleasure audible._ Geez, Sesshoumaru, I never imagined you'd be this frisky in your sleep! _

A satisfied growl rumbled in his chest, and Rin felt it vibrating her back from their close proximity. _At least he likes what he's doing, even if he _is_ practically unconscious. _"Y-You can stop now..."

Did she really think it would work? Damn, how was she supposed to stop this neck-lusting, gorgeous dog demon if she could hardly speak?!

He nipped her neck again, bidding her inaudibly to be quiet and stop fidgeting. It worked, since every time he gently bit her, all her movements stilled and her nerves tingled in pleasure.

She never felt this way before; not that she ever partook in this kind of thing prior to her current situation...but still! _I hardly know him...he's my fiancé, sure, yet, that doesn't give us the right to—_

**"I'M GOING TO KILL YOU, INUYASHA!!! GET OUT OF MY ROOM!!!"**

It was when Kagome screamed again that Sesshoumaru finally tensed and opened his eyes, only to come face to face with creamy skin otherwise belonging to a certain fiancée of his.

Err...why was her neck all red?

Rin blushed cutely under the dog demon's intense scrutiny—of course he was confused and wondering why he was so close to her. _What am I supposed to say? 'Yeah, you were giving me a hickey in your sleep.' I'm sure he'd be thrilled. _

"Rin..." He mumbled her name, his voice deep and baritone, and it made Rin blush a deeper red. He had asked a million questions just by uttering her name—she couldn't stand answering even _one_ of them.

Either way, the teen slowly turned onto her back to face a sitting upright Sesshoumaru, whose cold golden honey eyes revealed none of the confusion she knew he was currently feeling.

"Umm...good morning..." Her words were delivered in a meek mumble, and Rin tried desperately to look anywhere but him. _This is so embarrassing... _

Sesshoumaru continued to stare at her blankly. She didn't know what was passing through his mind at the moment, or what his next actions would be—but did she want to know? Was he going to leave her on the bed and pretend nothing happened with his usual indifferent attitude or would he sneer at her in disgust?

She was human...just by looking at him she could discern he disliked humans. Though, what _did_ she want him to do? Did she really mind that he had been kissing her neck?

Her answer was no.

And _that_ truly scared her.

_I know nothing about him_, Rin's eyes closed, not bearing to remain open and having to face her fiancé's reaction, _and yet, I'm way more attracted to him than I should be. _

"Well, uh, I guess we should get up and—" The teenager gasped when she abruptly felt warm lips pressing on hers, savoring her taste, moving gently in a pace that she easily followed after a few shocked moments.

Her hands slid up Sesshoumaru's chiseled chest as the passion of their kiss increased, and they moved to fist in his long silver hair, which surrounded their tangled form like a curtain of platinum silver silk. His hands also wandered, exploring creamy flesh that soon became exposed as her orange cami rode up.

Rin gasped out a moan and pulled the demon closer, nearly crushing his lithe form against her as a satisfied growl emanated from deep within his chest. She found that she liked the feeling of his bare chest vibrating on top of her and raked her nails across his scalp.

Wait—how did she know that he would like that?

Was it because he was a dog demon...? No, she just...guessed. Even so, she began to do this gently, but soon pressed harder, and continued until Sesshoumaru couldn't contain another growl.

Yup, she liked it a lot and ignored the origins of that knowledge.

How did this come to happen? Rin didn't know, but did it matter? He seemed pleased with their current situation, so shouldn't she be, too?

Besides, she'd never done something so pleasurable in her entire seventeen years of life!

Once a few minutes of 'chaste' kissing flew by, the immortal demon gently nibbled on her bottom lip, tenderly sucking on it to sullen its earlier abuse. Rin acknowledged the hint and slightly parted her mouth for him to enter and explore.

Now she knew what French kissing was like...

**"DAMMIT WENCH! YOU CAN'T JUST GO AROUND TRYING TO KILL SOMEONE WITH A FUCKING SLIPPER!!!" **

**"DIE YOU BED FIEND! DIE! DIE! DIE! DIII—"**

After nearly mauling down the door to the room across from theirs, Inuyasha and Kagome finally looked up from their heated argument and openly gaped at the scene in front of them. Two angry pairs of eyes peered at them from the queen-sized bed in the middle of the decently large room...

Their owners, however, were in a rather comprising position with a certain someone's legs wrapped around the other's waist...hands were all over the place... One of them was shirtless while the other was slowly getting there...

"Uhh...." The poor hanyou god couldn't manage more than indecipherable sounds, his golden amber eyes brightening a shade in extreme shock. His _stoic_ brother was engaging in intimate activities! Dear lord!

It was obviously not processing through his one-size-too-small brain...or so Rin furiously thought.

"I knew it...no one can have a sexy fiancé like him and not do sexy things..." Kagome's chocolate eyes never left the pair, who had yet to break free from their intimate hold.

It hardly fazed her that the two people on the bed were fervently glaring at her; well, _one_ was. The male of the pair was _coldly_ glaring at her, almost threatening to freeze her from the inside out. Oh well.

Sesshoumaru placidly disentangled himself from Rin without sparing her a glance and stood up as if he hadn't been caught red handed by none other than his half-breed brother and his miko. He narrowed his eyes at the two fools that had dared to barge into _his_ room screaming their heads off like a bunch of five-year olds.

Sometimes it was hard to believe the hanyou who called himself a demon god was actually a prince of _two_ kingdoms...

"Why are you two nuisances here?" His voice betrayed any emotion whatsoever—surprisingly, it included his inner fury as well. In contrary, his voice was cold, commanding, and it overall scared the wits out of Kagome.

Inuyasha took the spot light from his frozen-still fiancée since he was used to the aloof manner his brother spoke when he was substantially annoyed. "Keh, you don't have to sound so excited to see us, ya bastard! We just wanted to, uh...actually..." The hanyou blinked dumbly and turned to Kagome for help. "Why _are_ we here again?"

She rolled her chocolate eyes, at long last out of her reverie, and Rin groaned in frustration from her seat on the bed as Kagome responded, "Because _you_ didn't want to be killed!"

The cinnamon-eyed teen refrained from pulling her obsidian bangs. _A once in a lifetime make-out session with Sesshoumaru was interrupted for this?!_ Ok, maybe it wasn't once in a lifetime, but still! It was the best she ever had!

Err...when did she ever have a make-out session before that?

"That reminds me—wench, you can't murder your _wonderful _and _kind_ fiancé with a fucking slipper!" The hanyou god seemed pretty angry at the thought of his demise being caused by none other than a mere floppy slipper.

_Oh yeah, I can see it now: Prince of the Western and Eastern Lands killed by his crazy-wench-fiancée's slipper! Keh! What an honorable way to die..._

Kagome gripped the aforementioned slipper in her hand. "That was _before_ I woke up only to see my _idiotic_ and _annoying_ fiancé lying next to me! I told you I was **not** going to share a bed with you!"

"It's not like I _did_ anything!"

"You had your arms around my waist!"

"Is that a crime?! I told you it was in my sleep!"

"So what?! Do you think I'd notice if your hands suddenly crept lower? I don't want to take any chances, hentai!"

**"I AM **_**NO**_** FUCKING HENTAI!!!"**

**"STOP DENYING THE TRUTH!!! HENTAAAIII!!!"**

**"DAMMIT, WENCH! I'M GOING TO—" **

"Enough!" The arguing couple blinked and faced Sesshoumaru, whose golden honey eyes were even _more_ frigid, if possible.

It was strange how by uttering one word, no, even by _glancing_ at someone, he was able to force them to do his every bidding, _including_ his younger brother. But right now, he was pissed off, along with Rin. Of course, their make-out session was cut short for no apparent reason at all.

"You come unwelcomed into this room while yelling like children only to carry out your puerile argument here?" Not one of the two teenagers wanted to answer the question... Well, it was more of a statement. Only an idiot would miss the slight edge in the dog demon's tone of voice that warned of a dire...punishment. "I should kill the both of you for such an offense."

It was really sad that Rin only just found out she was not in the room she fell asleep in. Not that she was about to ask about it now—her voice probably refused to work past the lump lodged in her throat created from...um...well, _passion_. Hmph.

"Keh! Just keep your pants on, Prince Stick-Up-Ass! You can have all the fun you want on your wedding night!" Inuyasha huffed and ignored the steadily growing angrier couple in the room. He then faced his fiancée again. "Are we going to the mall or what? Your little friends are causing a riot outside."

"Crap! I forgot about them again!" It was funny how Kagome couldn't seem to remember her friends at all. Oh well. No one cared.

The raven-haired miko darted towards a dumbly blinking Rin and, without another word, grabbed the younger girl and practically fled from the room. Both demon gods still standing in the middle of the room gazed at the door, trying to comprehend what had recently happened in the span of two seconds.

To their amazement, or dread, Kagome's head soon popped through the small opening between the wooden door and the frame. "Oh, I was wondering, Sesshoumaru, if you could lend Inuyasha some of your clothes, if only until we buy him some new ones? And can it, Inuyasha, there's no way you're going to the mall in a gaudy red kimono."

"My regular clothes aren't gaudy! Sheesh, you mortals are fucking weird!" The hanyou indignantly claimed, crossing his arms over his bare chest. He was ignored, for the most part.

Sesshoumaru glanced at his inferior younger brother and then to the pleading miko now completely inside his room. As much as he yearned to decline, it would be the most logical thing to do—his brother was already an embarrassment to his family name, there was no need to add to it.

Why hadn't the hanyou been smart like him and come to the mortal realm earlier in order to attain needed items such as modern apparel? The half-immortal was, unfortunately and not surprisingly, a fool.

"Very well, miko, if only for today." Kagome beamed and immediately left the room, leaving a thoroughly shocked Inuyasha and a haggardly sighing Sesshoumaru behind.

The hanyou then reeled at his brother. "I don't want your damn stench on me even for one god-forsaken second!"

"You have no choice." Sesshoumaru shook his head and began to walk towards the door, completely disregarding his fuming younger brother. His was dismayed when he was followed, most likely because the hanyou wanted an explanation.

Again, younger siblings were annoying.

"Listen, half-breed, mortals do not understand our culture and most deny our existence. They do not appreciate our feudal clothing, even the imperial ones, and do not comprehend our abilities. They do not believe in immortal creatures, or in winged gods, or in...anything _we_ believe in. That is what I learned from my three months among them."

Inuyasha blinked incredulously at what his brother just told him. Wow, mortals didn't think people in his realm existed, and his brother was actually explaining the main concept he learned over his three-month observation to _him_ of all people!

"So _this_ is where you've been all this time! Over here it was only three months, but in our realm it's been like...almost a year! You never told me you were engaged, either... Were you betrothed like me?" He wouldn't put it past their father.

Sesshoumaru rolled his honey eyes and strode over to the living room, at long last noticing just how empty the whole apartment was. If one of the females neglected to shop for furniture, then he might have to do it himself. From the other side of the door, he heard three gossiping human girls, whose shrill voices were grating on his nerves, and mentally groaned at what was to come.

And why was that damn whelp following him?!

Oh, he was supposed to _answer_ him, right. "Yes. Father stated in his will that if I desire to take his throne, I need to marry a woman _he_ specifically chose."

"Keh! Sounds just like him, alright."

The older dog demon only nodded, not wanting to feel anymore anger towards his deceased father for such a...horrendous and _mandatory_ request. At least his fiancée wasn't similar to those girls standing like idiots outside the dorm...

Thinking about Rin brought back images of what he had initiated with her before his brother interrupted them... He pushed it to the back of his mind to think about later. It was too early to confuse himself with meaningless things—they were meaningless, right?

Why was it that he was so unsure of himself, lately?

Sesshoumaru rejected the offer to find out.

Inuyasha growled in fleeting annoyance and rolled his amber eyes. Those girls were driving him insane and he hadn't even met them yet! Why couldn't they just shut up for a few seconds, or at least respect others who didn't want to listen to their incessant blabbering?!

_How can that wench stand those bitches? They don't sound like her type of friends! _Did his fiancée enjoy gossiping like her friends obviously did, too?

Nah.

"Ok, that's fucking it!"Sesshoumaru disregarded his brother when he exploded in fury, his eye twitching and trademark scowl firmly in place. It was a usual occurrence with the hanyou—there was no new development. "I can't **stand **their stupid chatter any longer! If they complain **one** more time about being forced to stand outside for-fucking-ever, then I—"

The half-immortal blinked once his brother reached the wooden door in exactly one graceful stride and pulled it open—basically, the asshole had beat him to ending the bitches' whining. He couldn't help the growl that formed low in his throat at the victorious look he was thrown.

_Dammit all, why is he always one step ahead?! _It was a phenomenon for the hanyou.

But, they both regretted opening the door when they were met with three curious stares...perhaps one was a _little_ more curious than the others.

Their bare chests weren't aiding the brothers, and they just so happened to be uncannily handsome with a fine pack of abs that would alas satisfy even an insatiable woman.

"Oh my gods..." One of the three dark haired teenage girls standing in a stupor in front of the two demons was nearly drooling.

Her mahogany brown eyes were the size of the sun at the godly sight before her. She couldn't believe she was the chosen, the one who was allowed to see this divine, forbidden vision of utter beautiful perfection!

"Uhh..." The mouth of the girl standing in the middle, who had auburn hair shorter than her friend, might have been mistaken for a cave because of how it was gaping.

She at long last used her blue-gray eyes to analyze every single detail on the bodies of the two men before her—there was no way she was _ever_ going to forget such eye candies!

"Wow..." And the last girl was faring slightly better than the rest with her coffee eyes speculating the gentlemen who had come to save her and her friends from their been-in-hallway-for-like-five-million-hours torture.

Her hair wasn't as short as the rest; rather, it fell until her shoulders in midnight black waves. It showed how different she was from the others girls, because she not only looked..._original_, she also wasn't lustily staring at the brothers—it was solely 'healthy' curiosity.

"What in the hell are you three staring at?! Are you just gonna stand there gawking at us or are you coming in some goddamn time soon?" Inuyasha was obviously in a foul mood.

First, he was rudely awakened by some weird vibrating contraption that just so happened to make ringing sounds merciless to his sensitive ear drums. Then, his fiancée flipped out on him for sleeping on her, well, _their_ bed—hell, she acted as though he had raped her, which he will never, **ever** do in his entire...half-immortal life!

And now these bitches arrived like all the other women he met in his life who wanted him for his body and nothing else! _Fuck it all!_

"Hey," the girl with the auburn hair was the first to be turned off by the hanyou's attitude, "you're not supposed to be rude to your guests, ya moron!"

"_Moron?! _I'll have you fucking know, _bitch_, that I'm the—"

"Be quiet, Inuyasha." The hanyou growled, glaring at the stubborn human woman, who met his intense glower straight on, but soon consented to his brother's command and said nothing more.

Sesshoumaru then shifted his gaze from his younger brother to the three teens still standing in the hall. "Excuse his crudeness; there is no hope for him," the half-immortal snorted at his statement, "but come in. Kagome will be out shortly."

The three girls stepped inside the empty apartment and quickly took a look around while the dog demon closed the door behind them.

"Thank you very much, uhh...?"

Sesshoumaru glanced at the dark-haired girl, who wore a yellow headband on her head, speaking to him rather...dreamily. Her bright headband was the only object distinguishing her from the others—all humans looked the same to him.

Except for Rin, she stood out like a sore thumb...

...he was not supposed to think that.

"Maebashi Sesshoumaru."

With one glare from a certain inuyoukai, Inuyasha hmphed and also said, "Maebashi Inuyasha." No one missed the tension between him and the girl he had argued with.

"Well," _the headband girl surely doesn't miss a beat_, or so Sesshoumaru thought as he watched her smile flirtatiously, "I'm Eri, Furigawa Eri. It's a pleasure to meet you, Sesshoumaru! This is my best friend, Morimotto Yuka," she pointed to the seething auburn haired teen, "and this is my other best friend, Sumeragi Ayumi!" The wavy haired girl grinned.

_Does she think I actually care?_ He raised one delicate eyebrow at the absurd thought of him bothering to remember these vexing humans' names, but the headband girl didn't seem to notice what this action meant. "Hn."

And that was his very articulate response. Eri hardly minded. Damn.

"So," Yuka glared daggers at Inuyasha, who refrained from snarling at the challenge she silently issued him, "where's Kagome? Hiding from her fiancé, who must be a certain dog-eared asshole in front of me?"

"It's none of your fucking business where she's at. And I rather be a dog-eared asshole than Queen Shit-in-Mouth like you."

Inuyasha would _not_ let this bitch get to him, to sink her sharp talons into him and dissect him from the inside out. She challenged him, however, and she would suffer the consequences. _Stupid little human wench just doesn't know when to back the fuck off. _

He didn't know why he instantly detested her—was it her insufferable scent, her gossiping, or her goddamn stubborn pride? Being around her just made him feel like he had to prove himself to her, as if he wasn't good enough for Kagome and she would tell him so.

That didn't bode well with him or his raging inner youkai.

_To hell with the bitch! Kagome's mine and it's going to fucking _stay_ that way. _He stopped when the thought registered in his brain. _I m-mean, she's my fiancée and I...oh dammit all! _When did he get so possessive? -sigh- _It's the curse of all inuyoukai, I guess. _

Ayumi finally decided to say something before Yuka did, but she was amazingly oblivious to the growing tension of her best friend and who seemed to be her other friend's new fiancé. "Hm, Kagome's probably changing or something. When we called she sounded like she wasn't ready yet."

"Now we have more time to get to know each other!" Eri ignored the fact that the two guys needed to change as well. Why the hell did they open the door again?

Sesshoumaru figured he had been possessed.

"Ok, guys, we're—"

When Kagome and Rin stepped out of the room they shared, they believed their fiancés were already dressed and waiting for them in the living room. Of course, it took a man less time to dress than a woman—hopefully—so by the time they showered, changed, and primed themselves, the guys should've been done, right?

With the sight meeting their eyes once they reached the living room, obviously their assumption was incorrect.

_Why me? Please gods, why me?! _Not only did she have a fiancé who was an annoying hanyou god, not only did she have to move from her old dorm and live with him, not only did he disregard her statements of _not_ wanting to sleep on the same bed as him—but for the love of all that's high and mighty!

Did he _have_ to be such an unbearable prick and decide _not_ to change before opening the door to her friends?! _WHY is he such an __**IDIOT?!**_

"Inuyasha..." The hanyou finally roused from a glaring contest with that Yuka bitch and faced a once again furious Kagome. _Damn, she's gonna try to kill me with a slipper again!_ "You have three seconds to go change..."

"That goes for you, too, Sesshoumaru."

With the death glare potent enough to kill vengeful spirits, which were already dead, sent his way, the dog demon knew if he decided to be proud and disobey her, Rin would assassinate him with something even _more_ humiliating than a slipper...

"One..." Kagome's chocolate eyes flared and Inuyasha gulped in apprehension. _Great, she's gonna kill me with _two_ slippers! _

"...Two..." Rin cracked her knuckles as Sesshoumaru visibly winced. _You may kill me _after _our wedding night—not anytime before..._

"...Thre—"

In a split second, both brothers were out of sight.

* * *

Twenty minutes later, the group made it safely to the mall without _many_ mishaps, but a certain miko and a cinnamon-eyed teenager sighed in relief that they all finally arrived. For one thing, it was pure hell to try and get Inuyasha into a car without making his apprehension of them obvious.

Kagome tried bribing him, Rin attempted to lessen his wariness by consoling him; heck, even Sesshoumaru threatened him—it was all for nil. In the end, the hanyou agreed to climb into the car, a sleek black Mercedes-Benz surprisingly belonging to his older brother—who knew the dog demon had a license?—_only_ if his fiancée promised not to be angry with him anymore.

She reluctantly agreed.

"Alright, we're here, now what?" Rin smiled as she watched Inuyasha gape at the enormous size of the mall, and his eyes widened at all the people outside and inside of it.

Sesshoumaru didn't seem to care about any of it since he was gazing off to the side with his usual stoic expression on... Hmph, and not to mention that Eri girl was practically latched onto him. It made her boil with jealousy—wait, what?! Rin, jealous?! No!

"We shop, of course!" Ayumi giggled and led them all inside the mall, while Kagome dragged her fiancé along since he hadn't snapped out of his stupor.

She was surprised that Yuka was unusually quiet—normally, the girl wouldn't stop chattering her head off with gossip and other nonsense. But she wasn't babbling, and Kagome was slightly worried. She also noticed that Inuyasha and Yuka tried to avoid each other at all costs, but still sneaked each other glares when they thought no one was looking.

_What happened between them? _She couldn't fathom it. Then, her chocolate eyes strayed to her newest friend, who was venomously glowering at Eri like a snake stalking its prey.

The miko realized that Rin instantly disliked the coquettish girl with the yellow headband for the blatant reason that she was currently flirting with her extremely polite and patient fiancé. _He must be patient; if I was Sesshoumaru, I'd go psychotic with all the attention Eri would be giving me! Heck, she'd already be dead! _

Apparently, Ayumi was the only one who was content with their little outing so far.

"Ok, you guys, let's split up! The girls can stick together, and the guys can do whatever they want until we're done shopping!" Ayumi clasped her hands together at her fantastic idea, and Kagome figured it would help to keep her friends away from the two demon gods.

_Besides, Inuyasha needs a whole new wardrobe and he knows nothing of modern clothing. They'll start making wrong assumptions if I'm the one helping him pick out clothes. _Err, would Sesshoumaru even help Inuyasha shop? _Hopefully..._

"Aw, that means we'll have to separate!" Rin wanted to gag at the sultry tone of voice Eri was talking in with Sesshoumaru. "But we can always meet up for lunch. Come on, girls, let's go!"

She winked at the expressionless immortal before walking up to her friends as though she hadn't been openly flirting with an _engaged_ demon. _Does she even know that he's mine?_ Rin guessed the teen ignored it. _Huh? Mine? No!_ She was getting possessive, too!

It was a curse, she swore!

"Rin." The girl blinked; it was the first time Sesshoumaru had spoken to her since their little 'incident' in the morning. She received the impression that he was avoiding her, but it all flew out of the window now.

"Yeah?" He inclined his head for her to come closer, and she complied, watching him dig into his pocket only to retrieve a black leather wallet. Soon enough, he took out a rectangular card and offered it to her—at the sight of it, Rin's eyes widened. "N-No way! I can't accept—"

"Nonsense. Take it—it is yours to buy what you like." Her eyes questioned him, and he sighed before answering, "For some reason, my father opened an account for me years ago. He also opened an account for you under my name, which will become a joint account after we're married."

Rin nodded in understanding and accepted the credit card graciously—there wasn't much money in her purse, anyway. _This is actually pretty nice. _Finally, something good was coming out of being engaged to a gorgeous dog demon!

Besides the obvious, of course.

"Keh, can we leave now, Prince Stick-Up-Ass?" Inuyasha raised an eyebrow at his older brother, who in return rolled his eyes and headed to gods knew where.

He shrugged and followed after him. Kagome had just handed him some 'important' things he would need from his envelope of infinite papers. He didn't know how a plastic card thingy could hold money, but whatever; she let him have it before he insisted she take the other one.

What good would two of those crap things do for him, anyway?

Once the two brothers left to...shop, Kagome walked up beside Rin. "Are you ok being with my friends? If you want, we can 'unfortunately' end up separated and shop on our own...?"

The teenager giggled at the enticing thought, but shook her head. "No, I'm alright." She faced her friend and grinned brightly at her. "Come on, we can't keep them waiting!"

As Rin bounded off in front, Kagome remained in the back. She noticed that the teenager hadn't sounded as reassuring as she wanted to be...but why? What was going on through that dark-haired girl's head?

Was Eri...or Sesshoumaru troubling her? Or maybe it was her engagement?

_I don't know, _Kagome sighed, _but it's not my problem, I guess. We only met yesterday, but I feel as if I've known her for much longer. The same goes for Sesshoumaru, and especially Inuyasha. Why is that? If what Mom said is true, then I should know Inuyasha...I just don't remember him. _

Was it only her, or did it sound wrong? Why wouldn't she remember him—the hanyou was practically unforgettable with his exotic looks and surly attitude. _I need to learn more about my past with him; it might be useful in the future. _

She figured it would be a long, painful journey.

Hmm...something felt...wrong.

Being a miko and all, it was natural for her to sense danger coming from afar, but her sixth sense was only triggered on rare occasions. Now, it was biting at the back of her mind, bidding her to pay attention to it and look in back of her. Kagome complied in order to ward off her growing concern, and shifted her eyes to look out of the corners of their sockets.

A group of four dark-haired men was what she saw, all dressed in black suits with black-tinted sunglasses covering their eyes—overall, they seemed like government agents, but their auras were that of youkai. She watched them cryptically give each other a signal, and they then separated into groups of two before one of the duos nodded and turned around, walking away from the others without a second glance.

This wouldn't have been so suspicious if that one group hadn't headed in the same direction as Sesshoumaru and Inuyasha...

And...

_The remaining one...seems to be following _us_..._

* * *

**A/N: Oooooh, Kagome and company are being followed by government agents! Not. You'll just have to find out what's going on in the next chapter! HA HA! I'm evil! **

**Sooo, who are these government agent look alikes? Why are they stalking our precious characters? Is Eri going to die anytime soon? Will Kagome succeed in killing Inuyasha with a slipper? And—**

**Inuyasha:** And why's Sesshoumaru getting all the action?!

**Sesshoumaru:** I thought you realized that I'm just sexier than you, little brother.

**Inuyasha:** Keh! We all know the younger siblings are always hotter! And you better stay away from Kagome or else...

**Sesshoumaru:** Touch Rin and die.

**Locainlove: **You said that already! Anyway...Inu, you'll get your turn soon enough...for now, go wait for me on my bed... ;-D

**Inuyasha:** _—grumbles— _But Sesshoumaru's already there...wait, are you cheating on me?!

**Locainlove: **Well, umm, err...Sesshoumaru, I told you nine o'clock!

**Sesshoumaru:** _—looks embarrassed, for once— _Rin kicked me out too early...said something about ignoring her after our make out session this morning...

**Locainlove:** That's so true. Well, we're going to have to settle that in the next chapter! Tune in next time, folks! Hope you enjoyed my once in a lifetime early update!

**Inuyasha:** Keh, you all know what time it is...

**Sesshoumaru:** Yes, review. Now. If you don't, I'll have to annihilate you.

**Locainlove:** And we all know he means that! :-D

* * *

**This chappie has been edited as of 1-19-09**


	6. Shopping and Plotting

**A/N: I kidna edited this chapter so there's not much of an A/N...**

**Enjoy the chappie!**

* * *

**Oh My Gods! 6**

* * *

"For the love of—! It _doesn't_ fit!"

"I ensure you that it does."

"Well, I _'ensure' _you that you're goddamn wrong!"

"Do you truly think I am ever wrong?"

"Do you 'truly' want me to answer that?"

"Do you truly want help?"

"Do you _truly_ want mental help?"

"Do you truly want me to bite your ears off again?"

"Do you **truly** want me to touch Rin?!"

"You would never."

"I _would_. And in certain 'female' areas, too."

"Listen, half-breed, you do not have the courage to act against me—I'd kill you if you touched her."

"I find no reason for you to kill me because you don't even _like_ her—you're just a sex crazy bastard. Hmph, you think I haven't counted all the women who know what your silk sheets feel like? Or even what your bedroom _carpet_ feels like...?"

"And you will soon know what my claws feel like, little jealous _virgin_. Now, put 'it' in. Quickly."

"Don't call me that, man whore—I'm not jealous! And it _doesn't_ fucking **FIIIT!!!" **

Mothers who happened to pass by a certain area of a certain store all gasped in shock and quickly ushered their children away, not forgetting to cover their small ears while muttering about people who should look up the definition of privacy. It still didn't help because one little boy asked 'Mommy, what's sex? Can I draw sex? Mommy looks pale...'

All the while, his mother thought, 'Gods, men have problems with their girlfriends and they resort to _these_ types of things?! Then why do prostitutes exist?!' She smartly refrained from answering her son's question with a quick bribe of candy.

A couple soon passed by and heard the conversation...between two men...and quickly ran away. Not one of the workers could figure out why people were either fleeing or whooping when they arrived at _that_ section... They sent a representative but he ran inside the nearest storage room and was not seen again.

"Half-breed, if you _tried_ to make it fit, this wouldn't be a problem."

"You think I'm not trying?! What the **hell **don't you understand by 'it doesn't fit'?!"

"Surely it can be _that_ large... Is your judgment impaired already?"

"Keh, you're not the one suffering through this shit. Face it—it's just _too_ tight!"

"I grow tired of this. How many more times will I have to hear you say 'it doesn't fit'?"

"Until 'it' actually fits. Keh, at this damn rate, we'll never get married."

"Is that supposed to be a bad thing? _-sigh-_ Try again. That...that monstrous _thing_, or whatever you wish to call it, can't be as insanely large as you make it out to be..."

One particular couple stopped to listen to the conversation, and the taller of the two turned to his boyfriend and commented, "They're getting married? Should we ask for some tips?"

"And get stuck in a foursome? Save that for _later_, Nowaki. Come on, we have to prepare our 'inventory' for tonight..." And off they went...to prepare their inventory...

But it seemed everyone had their heads in the gutter...or they were just really perverted, because the two men partaking in the conversation were both brothers...

...and they were in the shoe department.

Of course, they were standing behind a pretty tall wall of shoes, so they weren't visible to the untrained eye, but sheesh! People these days had no common sense.

Inuyasha growled and slammed the casual black shoes on the ground, frustrated beyond belief that he just couldn't find his size. Were his feet bigger than a size ten? What the hell?! Well, he was smaller than a twelve since the shoes he currently wore belonged to Sesshoumaru—and they weren't as snug as he would have liked.

_Damn! How can mortals put up with all this crap?! _Though, the most frustrating aspect of shoe shopping was the Sesshoumaru part, the bastard who kept insisting that a shoe, which was blatantly smaller than his foot, actually fit him.

_Keh, he just wants to see me in pain,_ the hanyou thought, glaring up at his older brother, who was deeply pondering something or the other. _What the hell is he up to now? _No one would ever know...Sesshoumaru was a mystery...

"I have an idea, little brother."

Inuyasha's snow white ears perked up in surprise, yet the furry appendages soon flattened against his skull once he caught sight of the growing smirk on the dog demon's face. _Crap...why am I cursed with a sadistic brother? _"Please tell me you're not planning to—"

"I can break the bones in your foot in order to fit it in the shoe." Sesshoumaru apparently thought that it was a marvelous idea by the way he cracked his knuckles in preparation for what was to come. "Let's begin, then. I would prefer if you restricted your screaming to a minimum."

"You're not getting anywhere near my feet!" Inuyasha shouted, fighting the urge to boldly and fervently protect his...foot. "Look, bastard, we can always do the obvious thing and just find a bigger size, and _that_ method includes _no_ bloodshed!"

The immortal sighed. "How many times have we called for another size? It is incredibly boring watching you rave about a shoe not fitting your gargantuan foot over and over again. I much rather cut your foot in half and move on with your other needed items." He then paused as if thinking about something, which caused Inuyasha to fidget impatiently.

"Is it a half-breed trait to have such monstrous feet?"

He was met with a blank stare.

"You do know," Inuyasha began, his voice low and slow as if he was talking to a child other than one of the most educated demons in the entire immortal realm, "that if you keep pushing me, I'll act like the fool you take me for and do..._foolish_ things..."

Sesshoumaru didn't blink in confusion or even hesitate. He knew what his brother was alluding to, and it truly bothered him that the hanyou apparently was not about to drop the subject of a certain teenager until some admissions were made on his part.

But, did the blasted hanyou actually believe he would admit anything, much less to someone far from trustworthy like him?

"Is that supposed to be a threat? I don't see how you acting like the fool you are can affect me more than it has." _I will kill you; I swear I will kill you if you keep pestering me. I will kill you, annihilate you, demolish you_—_whichever you prefer, _little _brother. _

His smooth lips then curved into a sinister smile; the younger demon standing in front of him completely ignored it. _Hn, if I kill the half-breed now, I'll have time to conquer the Eastern Lands..._

"Oh, "Inuyasha's smirk was absolutely devious now—he knew his brother was becoming more and more homicidal by the second, "it _can_, dear brother, it can. If you can kiss the life out of her and then _ignore_ her afterwards, it shouldn't bother you if I try to be a _friend _to her, right?"

_This is the perfect time for a little test..._

Shit, the dog demon realized what his brother was planning. "What do you want to stay away from Rin, half-breed? I will be more than happy to grant you a quick death since you obviously desire it."

The hanyou disregarded the last statement and crossed his arms. "I want you to stop thinking with your dick for once."

"And why should you care about my genitals?"

Inuyasha rolled his eyes and returned to doing something important, like finding out his right shoe size. He stopped one of the employees of the store, who strangely walked out of the storage room pale-faced, and demanded rather harshly for a ten and a half of the black casual shoes he held in his hands.

All the while, Sesshoumaru waited patiently for the younger demon to elaborate on his 'request', not even minding the fact that the scrawny employee all but cowered/ran away from them.

A few minutes later, Inuyasha had his larger size and moved about to put on the shoe as he commented, "Ok, bastard, I agree that I'm not like you. I don't have a woman in my bed every night, I hate flirting, and I lack the ability to be intimate with one bitch and move on with my life as if nothing happened. For all I care, you could do whatever the hell you want."

"Then why are you wasting my time with your petty requests?" There was an ulterior motive to all this nonsense, the immortal surmised.

Inuyasha sighed when the shoe was alas pinching his toes once again, meaning he needed another damn size. "This is fucking **shit! **_None_ of these fucking shoes fit me!"

One glare from his annoyed brother told the hanyou to continue with his point."Yeah, anyway, as I was saying before: I can care less. But I draw the line when you involve someone as innocent as Rin in your fucking games."

The hanyou was treading on very thin ice...

"What you saw this morning was a mistake, and it will not happen again." The dog demon bit his tongue with what he truly wanted to say—he wanted to say that it _will_ happen again because he couldn't get enough of the cinnamon-eyed teen's aromatic scent, of her sweet, plump lips—dammit all!

He was _not_ supposed to be feeling this way! His brother was right; countless of women could rightly claim they had slept with him, but they were all _demonesses_, not _humans_ like Rin. She was his fiancée—of course they would _have_ to consummate their marriage at some point in their lives, yet it was different if he became so obsessed with her to the brink of _falling_ for her!

In his rule book, that was definitely taboo!

"Fuck that! I don't know why, but Rin's like a little sister to me—sure, I only met her last night, yet it's like I've known her for longer..." Inuyasha shook his head, feeling more confused than what he'd like to be. "Either way, she's too innocent, Sesshoumaru, and you know it. Hell, much worse, she's human, and they aren't as promiscuous as all the demonesses you've met. Don't send out mixed signals to her, or you'll end up breaking her heart, and I'll break your damn skull if that happens."

_Who does this half-breed think he is, commanding me, his superior, to follow his will? He should know his place. _Sesshoumaru narrowed his eyes, but kept his mouth tightly shut.

He could not trust himself to speak...because he could not trust the growing sensation in his heart contradicting his mind... It was a strange, unwelcomed sensation that rose when he met a young woman by the name of Rin.

Inuyasha finally looked up, and the gravity in his eyes gave the impression that if it came to it, he would fight to the death for someone he had only met the night before, but already thought of her as part of his family, his pack.

An inu would gladly die for his pack.

"Rin may be your fiancée, and I know you think your marriage with her is practically guaranteed, but you never know if sudden adversaries will impede it."

In other words, Sesshoumaru figured his brother would be the one to turn against him, to somehow prevent him from marrying Rin and ultimately receiving his throne, his _birthright_. The thought made him growl in a warning that his inferior once again overstepped his boundaries.

Hell, how could that hanyou say such ridiculous things to him?! _As if I care about a weak mortal girl who will most likely be killed if I turn my head. Hmph, I _cannot_ care about her. _

But he did care about discovering if he was telling himself the truth...or plain lies.

It took ten more minutes to realize that the hanyou was actually a size eleven, but Inuyasha finally owned ten pairs, yes, _ten_ pairs of shoes to add to his 'nonexistent' wardrobe—_well_, at least it was growing.

Sesshoumaru made sure he had one for every occasion he could think of, such as banquets, everyday wear, sports, etc. He also hadn't forgotten about the mandatory black shoes accompanying Imei Academy's uniform.

It briefly annoyed the older demon that even students attending the _college_ owned by the academy were forced to wear uniforms like the high school kids. Seriously, why would he, Prince of the Western Lands, want to wear a stupid school uniform and 'blend in' with everyone else?

Well, his half-immortal inferior was stuck carrying all the bags with the excuse that 'they belonged to him', so he was temporarily satisfied.

In all truth...it was a very good excuse...

"So now what? Are we finally meeting up with the girls for lunch, Prince 'Let's-make-younger-brother-run-around-with-five-million-bags-until-he-fucking-dies'?" Inuyasha slammed the trunk of his brother's black Mercedes closed just to spite the irritated demon—he hoped his slamming had created a few dents here and there.

_Payback's a bitch_. He smirked at the glint of pure hatred fleetingly shining in his brother's icy honey eyes.

Sesshoumaru regretted ever feeling unusually nice and allowing his brother to drop off his abnormal amount of bags in his car—he should have let the hanyou suffer under the humungous pile of plastic and boxes. But he remained quiet, much to his inferior's surprise.

Instead, his regally handsome face slightly tilted to his left, almost as if the demon caught sight of something out of the corners of his eyes.

"What's wrong with you, bastard?" The hanyou cocked his head to one side as he always did when he was confused. His brother was Prince Stick-Up-Ass through and through, and it concerned him once that particular ass had nothing witty to retort after his car was all but 'properly handled.'

"Have you not noticed," the silver haired immortal's voice lowered an octave—it was so deep even Inuyasha had to twitch his ears a couple of times to pick up the muttered words, "that we are being followed?"

Inuyasha's body became rigid at the statement, and his eyes discreetly scanned the large parking lot. He saw nothing unusual—no shadows, no suspicious or out of place people—everything was normal. His nostrils did not even tingle with a new scent and his eardrums did not register any odd sounds.

So, the coast should have been clear, right? He shouldn't be worried, right?

Wrong.

Immortal demons spent at least a quarter of their lives fighting in order to attain ranking—and ultimately achieve the title demon god if they were lucky and kept their lives long enough to gain at least eight teeth on their necklaces. Because of this, demons in the immortal realm learned to be skilled in stealth in case they were suddenly attacked, but their enemies _also_ learned this trade.

It was not safe to solely rely on sight, smell, and hearing—Inuyasha knew from experience.

"Descry the area; mortals are no threat to us, but if _immortals_ travel this far to spy on us, then there will be problems." Sesshoumaru hardly glanced at his brother, but the younger demon nodded, nonetheless.

_So we're being followed, huh? Let's see by whom, 'cause who can be so fucking stupid as to personally spy on the future kings of the Western-Eastern Empire? _The hanyou relaxed his body and drew energy from within himself, enough so that he could scale the perimeter while not alerting his pursuers of his actions.

He steadied his breathing, shut his eyes, and lastly reached into his inner core, his subconscious mind. It was a peculiar feeling, no doubt—descending into oneself was only common among demon gods, who could withstand the shifting sensation, could maintain inner and outer balance on the thin thread separating their bodies from their minds.

After the hanyou descended as far as he could without disrupting his stability, Inuyasha allowed his energy to flow from his body like a soft golden sheet of silk only visible to his mind's eye, and he began his out-of-body observation.

This was called descrying—an ability only granted to immortal youkai of rank eight or higher. Inuyasha momentarily consented that it was also an ability he had yet to completely master, unlike his brother.

The tendrils of his energy—detectable only by Sesshoumaru since his rank was higher than his—seeped through out the parking lot, searching for any demonic auras that might lure it—energy attracted energy, right?

Indeed, it didn't take very long for Inuyasha to find what he was looking for when the tendrils coiled around two youkai dressed in dark suits and wore black-tinted glasses—two youkai hiding behind a wall close to where he and Sesshoumaru stood. While still controlling the tendrils from his subconscious mind, he probed the two demons, unbeknownst to them of course, and discovered they were both immortals of lower rank.

Specifically, they were merely _three_ ranks lower than him—not good no matter how much he boasted about his own strength.

The hanyou would have probed even more into the two youkai's matching hunter green auras, but his energy quickly diminished and he was forced out of the shallow border of his body and mind. He blinked his golden eyes a couple of times, regaining feeling of his carnal body, of the real word in which he currently stood in, and faced his older brother, who had probably watched him as he descried the area.

For a moment, he envied the elder demon; because he possessed a perfect necklace, which he was not required to wear due to its completion, performing acts consuming a lot of energy like descrying took only two seconds and hardly spent any energy.

It definitely wasn't the same for others.

"There are two of them," Inuyasha whispered, making sure only his brother could hear him by also deepening his voice. "Rank Five demons—a noble's ranking."

Sesshoumaru barely nodded—he was stiff with leeriness. "Nobles, you say? I rather assume they are scouts. There were four of them when we first arrived in this crowded place. It seems the group split, and those two have been following us for three hours straight."

The hanyou's eyes widened with the information he had not perceived earlier. If the group _split _when they arrived at the mall...when the brothers had _last_ been with the girls, then...

_Kagome's in danger! _That was the only thing registering in his mind. The mere thought of his fiancée being in any type of danger set off a torrent of emotions in his heart—panic, fury, worry; he couldn't discern them as they raged all at once.

But, Inuyasha was sure of one thing—if _his_ Kagome got hurt, if _his_ Kagome was in _any_ way harmed or missing a _single_ fucking hair from her head due to a struggle, he would kill and would not stop killing until the bastards who were stupid enough to do such a thing were dead.

Sesshoumaru knew what his brother was thinking, especially with the way the hanyou god's eyes abruptly flashed crimson red. He also understood that it was a part of inuyoukai nature to be—even unwillingly—possessive and protective of their mates, of their pack, or of _anything_ that was theirs. Hell, he'd be lying if he denied feeling like he wanted to run inside, find Rin, and immediately bring her to safety with some bloodshed thrown in somewhere.

Yet, he thought rationally of their situation—the two brothers weren't exactly enemy-free, so their true opponent was virtually unknown.

_Not to mention the fact that those scouts only started spying on us when we first arrived here. How could they have even guessed this mall was our destination or that we would even be here? Where did they come from and who sent them? _Something strange was going on...and Sesshoumaru was going to solve this mystery.

But first, he had to calm his brother down before he went into a death rampage...

"Inuyasha."

The hanyou looked up at his older brother, and marveled at the fierce desire to shred him to pieces. _Since when did I become so protective of Kagome?_ He had only known her for a day, and so far, she wasn't number one on his list of favorite people.

Why would he care so much about Kagome's safety to even feel the urge to reel at his brother, who posed no threat to her and was not even his enemy?

Sure, he wouldn't deem it honorable if his fiancée was in danger and he failed to protect her, but the intense feeling to hurry to her side, to rip through _every_ and _any_ obstacle standing in his way, was _not_ normal protectiveness.

"What, Sesshoumaru?" _And why's my voice so calm?_ He sounded like his brother: stoic, mysterious... His voice had been a purr smoother than the richest velvet; the voice of a demon god ready for battle, or more like a killing field.

What was the difference?

_A killing field isn't strategic or planned_—_it's two sides competing for the greatest prize of all: to live._ Sadly, only a handful survived such a gory experience—no human could ever _dream _of even _witnessing_ a killing field.

The immortal noticed this change in his younger brother and nearly faltered in his words—not that anyone could tell he lost his composure for a split second. "No matter how impulsive you may be, no matter how much you may wish to attack these scouts and dispel danger before it reaches your mate, you _must _stay calm."

"I _am_ calm. Can't you tell?" Inuyasha's eyes betrayed nothing—it was impossible to note if he was angry or worried or even feeling any emotion at all. He was as calm as a bold and impetuous hanyou like him could ever get.

However, he was only the calm before the storm.

"Hn," the corner of Sesshoumaru's lips curved upward with a horrid, malicious intent mysterious to others, "if we are truly related by blood, then I know there is only a matter of time before you begin to kill and think later."

The smirk banished as his face returned to being expressionless—it seemed carved from ice once more. "We must continue as if we know nothing of our pursuit—we will head back inside and join the girls for lunch. Is that clear, half-breed?"

"Why the _fuck_ should we do a _wimpy_ thing like that?!" Inuyasha's dam was breaking, as Sesshoumaru foretold—his mind was driven haywire with thoughts of ripping his claws into the _four_ youkai threatening his new pack: Sesshoumaru and his future mate, and himself and his future mate.

_No one_ would live if they dared to even _spy_ on royal immortals away from their home realm... Hell, everyone knew that if they messed with the powerful inuyoukai sons of the revered King InuTaishou, they would be killed!

Obviously, those four youkai ignored their parents' wise words.

Ah, the evil smirk appeared again, and this time, it was even more cynical than all prior times since it was accompanied by a rather sleepy, lazy note... It meant the opposite of good.

"Don't you understand?" He spoke in soft drawl, so soft it soothed Inuyasha's anger enough for the hanyou to listen to reason.

"Understand what?"

The dog demon's eyes narrowed in tune with his sleepy smirk, signifying that he was going to do something he definitely would not _ever_ regret. He had a plan...a pernicious plan that he would make sure to carry out. "It is better to hunt our prey during the night. There will be nowitnesses then, little brother, and we _won't_ have to hold back."

Inuyasha returned the smirk with as much deadly poison as his brother. "Midnight. We'll strike at midnight."

"Yes, and our blades will drip rubies once again..."

**

* * *

**

Kagome wanted to kill herself.

It was as simple as that—where could she find the nearest gun? Did anyone happen to know? She was in dire need of it... Well, maybe some lethal chemicals would due for now; she might leave the leftovers for Rin, who strangely looked like she wanted to commit suicide by hitting herself with a receipt over and over again.

_Hm...is that a good way to kill oneself? _The miko wasn't sure, but if the younger teen wanted to borrow her Slipper of Death—it worked miracles on Inuyasha—she would be more than happy to lend it.

Wasn't it supposed to be a good thing to be able to relax—despite knowing that her little group was still being spied on—after endless shopping with money she more or less didn't have to return—erm, Inuyasha wouldn't mind, right? Nah.

Either way, the five girls were sitting in a rectangular table smack dab in the center of the food court, waiting for the guys to finally show up so they could all eat lunch together. They were dead tired from running around stores all morning...so everything _should've_ been serene and quiet...

...it was quite the opposite, unfortunately.

_Ah, death, please come quickly! In the form of anything! Please let some deranged maniac storm in here and just so happen to be carrying a machine gun! Hell, he doesn't even have to go ballistic with it_—_**I**__ will! _Kagome was desperate!

Oh no, it was too late...gods no, help her, save her, do anything but idly watch as her sanity sunk to a point of no return! _I rather boxer-shop with Inuyasha than listen to this, and that's saying a lot!_ Actually, that would be a lot of fun...

But that was beside the point!

Gah! The horror!

Err...what _was_ the horror, anyway? What was the terrible, _terrible_ thing making Kagome fantasize about going crazy with a machine gun, and had Rin deciding the better weapon between a long receipt and a napkin would be the former?

The horror was...

...gossiping.

"And oh my gods, Yuka, Ayumi, you should have seen the look on his face when Tomoe asked him out! I mean, come on, since when do girls ask guys out?"

"Yeah, Eri, but that college freshman, what's his name—Daisuke? Well, he is gorgeous! I would _kill_ to be Tomoe right now; I mean, _she_ asked him out, sure, but she still landed herself a hot boyfriend!"

"I bet they won't last a week, Ayumi. Anyway, I can't believe the Halloween dance is coming up in October—I _love_ American holidays! _-gasp-_ Oh my gods, I didn't tell you guys! Guess who Kaname asked to the dance!"

"Just say it, Yuka! Was it Miyo?"

"No, it _had_ to be Shizuka!"

"It's neither, girls—he asked his dorky ex-girlfriend Hikaru!"

"What?! They broke up two weeks ago!"

"No way! That's just as bad as the newest—and grossest—couple in school right now!"

"Hey, I haven't updated my info yet! Who's with whom, Eri?"

"Check this out, Yuka—Nakago is going out with Akane."

"Hmph, I could see that happening—those two _are _freaks of nature..."

"Oh my gods! I still think that's impossible, Eri!"

"I'm not lying, Ayumi, but it's not as bad as Senri and Ritsu. The two school outcasts have finally joined together in holy misery!"

"And—"

—blah, blah, blah, blah. Oh, and more blah, blah, blah, throw some bleh in there, another blah, and the result was high school gossip.

It was no surprise Kagome and Rin wanted to kill themselves. Who wanted to listen to three overly enthusiastic teenage girls talk about who was dating who and who asked who to the dance?

Heck, Rin hadn't known the academy even _hosted_ leisure dances...

"This is just great," the raven haired miko sighed, glaring at the pristine white table top in front of her, "we're stuck here and they're not going to stop gossiping until we start shopping again."

Kagome turned towards Rin, who was entranced by the uncannily long receipt sitting before her on the table. She must have been extremely bored to death to be actually reading the customer returns and exchanges portion of it—_repeatedly_. "Are you sure you don't want to magically disappear? We still have time..."

Rin finally looked up and blinked. "No way, Kagome! This is getting good—my receipt says that returns must be made within _ninety_ days of purchase—can you believe that?! Ninety!"

She looked excited about it with a large grin on her pretty face and all, appearing like she was reading a very dramatic book containing twists and turns in every page. Her new friend merely sweat-dropped as her eye twitched.

"Ok...moving on..." She then unintentionally overheard what her friends were talking about now and groaned. "Gods, I could care less about Masao cheating on Emiko—I don't even know them!" Kagome shook her head and pulled on her raven bangs in frustration.

She was suffering from severe ennui, and her friends weren't listening to a word she was saying because when they gossiped...they _gossiped_...

"Ha! I didn't even_ know _there was a Halloween dance coming up...like _next _month—try and beat that!" Rin challenged, yet was still amazed at her own ignorance.

But she had an excuse—she was a new student at the academy and hardly knew a soul. Hey, that reminded her, Kagome was her first friend since the start of the school year, which had merely been a few weeks ago! Yay!

The miko giggled. "I don't think I can...but you seriously didn't know?" Rin only shrugged and nodded. "Well, yeah, the academy hosts five dances every year: Halloween dance, Winter formal, Valentine's Day dance, 'Spring Fling', and one at the end of the school year—I just forgot the name of it."

"Hmm...do you think our fiancés will go with us to any of them? Heck, _can_ they even dance?" The cinnamon-eyed teenager put a finger to her chin and thoroughly thought about it.

Something in her mind nagged her that the two demons indeed knew how to dance _very_ well, but what was it? Could she trust this...intuition thing or whatever it was?

"Of course they can dance! Especially Inuyasha—you should see the way he moves!" _Ok, did I just say that? _Now Rin was staring at her as if she had grown three medusa heads and turned into stone. "Uh, I mean...I n-never...I don't...argh! Just forget everything I said!"

_Stupid instinct! Where in the world did that come from?! _Kagome swore she never saw Inuyasha dance before in her life! Did this...did this have something to do with her missing memories? _Maybe...hopefully..._

"Alright, my memories have been erased." Rin smiled knowingly, though she could more or less understand Kagome's sudden impulsiveness—she had wanted to say the same about Sesshoumaru, but it wouldn't have been true, right?

She had only met the guy last night...and got to know him more this morning... _Come on, Rin_—_you said no more thinking about that stupid, apathetic, arrogant, dick-headed, horny ice-man son of a raccoon dog! Haha, raccoon dog; he'd kill me if I ever say that out loud... Shoot, there I go again! _

Why didn't she want to think about her 'beloved' fiancé?

For starters...she was slightly hurt due to his overall indifferent attitude. Was there something he wanted from her or what?! And then he had the nerve to pay more attention to some girl—what's her face? Eki?—whom he recently met rather than to her, his damn _fiancée_, whom he had an _at least_ five-minute long make out session with!

_Men, ugh, I think they all evolved from pigs._ And so, the teenager promised to be indifferent as well, not think longingly about him although she was dying to do so, and lastly refrain from ever kissing him again...or just until their 'uncertain' wedding.

_Payback's a bitch. _She smirked at that.

Anyway...Kagome was actually succeeding in finding peace. She blissfully disregarded her friends' chattering and nearly tuned out of the world...

...until Ayumi rattled her enough to rouse her from whatever universe she had almost escaped to. She turned to see that her three friends were staring at her intensely, which made her apprehensive, and she nervously chuckled.

"Is s-something wrong, girls?" Again with that blank stare...what did it mean? It was as if they were exploring her soul and discovering her secrets—heck, maybe even gossip about them, too. _No, they would never do that...right?_ "You can stop staring now..."

"Kagome...why are you engaged?" The question came from Eri, who was being so serious that her raven-haired friend had to gulp.

Should she tell them the actual reason? They were her friends; they deserved to know what was going on with her life. But...the whole ordeal was not something they would understand very easily.

Could she trust them with such grave information? She knew she couldn't tell them about her fiancé being a demon god, yet...

Rin was also staring at her, almost telling her that she would be committing a huge mistake if she relinquished too many details. Either way, Kagome yearned for her friends to just return to gossiping so that she could flee from the spot light.

_Why are they suddenly interested in my business, anyway?_ "Well, uh, I—"

"You're only seventeen, Kags, and your 'fiancé' is a huge jerk! There's no way a decent girl like you could've fallen for such an arrogant, pig-headed bastard."

The miko glared at Yuka—what right did she have to say that to her face? It didn't matter at the moment that Kagome was defending her fiancé—_no_ one talked crap about him _to her face _and got away with it, even if she didn't really like Inuyasha herself!

"I'm _sorry_, Yuka, but I _never_ asked for your opinion, anyway. Besides, you guys only just met him this morning—sure he's a jerk, but you can't judge him based on a two-minute talk—"

"That's just it, Kagome! Don't you get it? If he's rude now, do you really think he's gonna change? One day he'll end up embarrassing you because of his attitude! And don't give me all this crap about judging him—and I know you think he's sweet and kind in the inside—it's all **bullshit!" **

The auburn-haired girl was adamant on getting her reasoning through her friend's thick skull. Didn't she understand that she had many good guys vying for her attention, guys who weren't dog-eared assholes?!

"Listen to them," _Even Ayumi's in this... _Kagome felt slightly betrayed as her wavy-haired friend spoke, "you're young and you still don't know what you want. I'd be ok if you were still _dating_ him, but you're _engaged_. Marriage is a huge step—how do you know years from now you won't be regretting your decision? How can you be sure he can even support you—he's our age, isn't he?"

"And you don't have a ring on your finger... Can he...can he _afford_ one?" Eri whispered, glancing from side to side as if she expected to be abruptly kidnapped for uttering the 'forbidden' sentence.

Kagome rolled her eyes and thought, _Hey, you weird agent look-alikes, you can take Eri away now... _

Hmph, all the things her friends were spewing became obselete when she was marrying a demon _god_, who was also a _prince_ of apparently _two_ kingdoms. Heck, Kagome doubted that demons actually cared about engagement and/or wedding rings in the first place.

"No, you all listen to _me_—I know what I'm doing and I know what I want. If I'm making a mistake, then it's my problem; _please_ stay out of my business. And Eri, just because I'm not wearing an engagement ring doesn't mean Inuyasha is poor."

_Cut him some slack, we only found out we were engaged yesterday. _Kagome refused to argue with her friends over a topic not even _she_ had control over. She couldn't just tell them that her engagement was arranged—they wouldn't comprehend it no matter _how_ hard she tried explaining it.

Hmph, how did _she_ even come to accept the fact that she was engaged...to a demon _god_, a _half-immortal_, no less? She thought such beings were fictional characters made up by weird fanatics bored with their uneventful lives...

...wait...she was one of those fanatics...

Yuka scoffed. "Then it means he hardly cares about you! There's no way I'm letting you marry that good for nothing asshole! Heh, I can tell he's the type who'll leave you for a hot bimbo in two seconds—he'll be the one to leave you behind with five kids, struggling to pay rent, and with two damn jobs paying you pennies by the hour!"

"Yuka, you're _really_ starting to piss me off..."

"What a coincidence! Because _you_ and that _bastard_ are starting to piss **me **off!"

"Come on, girls—you're supposed to be friends! Don't fight over something trivial like this! If Kagome wants to marry Inuyasha, then it's _her_ choice, and if you _truly_ are her friends, you'd bite your tongue and accept her fiancé even if you hate his guts!" Rin attempted to mediate the argument, but she unwittingly involved herself when a furious Yuka reeled at her.

"**You **have _nothing_ to do with _any_ of this, _misfit_, so just **shut** the hell up and mind your _own_ damn business!"

_Did she just call me a misfit? Oh no she didn't..._ "Oh, I'm sorry, I must have not heard you right, Queen Shit-In-Mouth." _Thank goodness for Inuyasha's amazing 'nicknames'!_ "Should I get my fiancé to come and repeat what you just said?"

_Burn, bitch, burn! Or I should say freeze, 'cause Sesshoumaru will freeze you into an 'ice-woman' if I tell him about this..._

"_Ha_, he's _another_ arrogant dick-head; he's definitely related to Kagome's doggy bastard," Yuka sneered.

Why was she so upset? Why did she hate Inuyasha—and seemingly now Sesshoumaru as well—so much? No one could console her or she would only bite their heads off—Rin was suffering the results of it.

Not only was the cinnamon-eyed teen now offended and indignant, she wanted to rip that little bitch's throat out for slandering her mate! Ahem, she meant fiancé! _And _I'm_ the only one who's allowed to call him a dick-head!_ "You better watch—"

"Hey, don't insult Sesshy-kun, Yuka—I like him! He's really nice to me and we talked a lot, so I know he's a great guy!"

For the love of all that's high and mighty! Did Eri _not_ know that the dog demon was **engaged?! **How could she not—Rin just implied it! _Furthermore_, Sesshoumaru did **not** belong to that headband girl for her to have the right to defend his honor!

"_Sesshy-kun?_ You call him **Sesshy-kun?!" **

Kagome completely forgot about the hot-headed teen who wanted to skin her fiancé alive and focused on a once again homicidal Rin. By the way she was gritting her teeth, the miko could noted that the cinnamon-eyed girl was anything but pleased at the pet name Eri had given her fiancé.

"I don't know if you're aware of this, but his name is _Sesshoumaru_—**Sesshoumaru!"**

Eri blinked and cocked her head. "You seem upset...is something wrong?" Rin just whimpered with the vehement desire to wring the girl's dainty neck. Gods, and she thought Ayumi was the dense one!

_I'll kill her with a napkin...yeah, and I'll save the receipt for Sesshoumaru. If Kagome can plot to kill Inuyasha with a slipper, then I can plot to kill Sesshoumaru with a receipt... _It wasn't as..._painful_...but paper can be lethal when used by a _very_ angry teenager... _Muahaha! They'll never know what killed them!_

And a certain auburn-haired girl just kept on ranting; heh, she had been forgotten for a while there. "Now back to the more important topic here! Kagome can have someone like Houjo, for instance—he's going to be a doctor and he'll _definitely_ be able to support her! What's Inu-bastard going to be, huh? A mechanic?"

Eri commented, "Well, he _does_ have the body to be a mechanic...and Sesshy-kun will be a model. I'd totally buy any magazine he'll be in..."

Rin swore a vein suddenly popped in her head. _If she calls him Sesshy-kun one more time, I _will _become the next serial killer on the block! _

"Hmm, I'd say they'd both be better off as models," Ayumi interjected, but was ignored by a seething Yuka and a riled up Kagome. Rin was still planning Eri and Sesshoumaru's deaths in a dark corner all by herself...

"_Yuka_..." the miko had enough and it showed through her blazing chocolate eyes and deadly calm voice, "you have **no** right to be saying all of this stupidity. _One_, you don't know him. _Two_, obviously you don't know me because I don't _like_ Houjo. And _three_—"

"And three—even after all this arguing, you never even said you loved him. You're hiding something, Higurashi, and I _will_ find out what it is." Yuka narrowed her blue-gray eyes in defiance, while her friend met her glare dead-on.

"I have nothing to prove to you, Morimotto, so either back off or bring it on."

Yuka ceased to retort and alas kept to herself with a dark glower on her face.

Kagome inwardly sighed in relief and smiled to shake off her rage.

Eri arranged her honeymoon with a certain dog demon to be in the middle of...nowhere.

Ayumi dazed off and pondered if she should have sushi or teriyaki for lunch.

And Rin...err...hadn't recovered from her psychotic phase yet...

The guys finally arrived ten minutes later only to find the girls in the same state. Sesshoumaru was even a bit scared at how his fiancée immediately shot him a death glare once she caught sight of him—it was downright scary... Damn, he was going to die _very_ soon!

From beside him, Inuyasha took the chance to look around the open food court, amazed at all the people bustling about while balancing their shopping bags and food trays on their arms. And he loved the way the scent of food overwhelmed the stench of too many people crammed in once place...

It was..._tantalizing_.

The hanyou smirked and faced his brother, who was desperately searching for reasons why Rin would want to kill him so badly. Was she a sadist, too? No no no, perhaps she was merely a psychotic murderer...

While uncannily ignoring everyone's façades of 'happiness', especially Kagome's extra sugar-coated smile that screamed fury, Inuyasha stated, "Keh, everything seems just about normal, right?"

Sesshoumaru only gave him a pointed look.

**

* * *

**

Rin nervously sighed and fisted her hands, hoping she would have the courage to do this. She took a hesitant step forward...and then another...yes, she was almost there—finally, some progress! And—oh, no, she took a few steps back and returned to the starting point.

_Shoot, I can't do this! I just can't! It's alright, I guess. I'll just sleep on the floor... I knew I should've looked at sofa beds in the mall today. _But, she was stupid and now found herself in _this_ dilemma: getting into bed.

Why couldn't she do such a simple thing such as that?

Because a gorgeous dog demon was waiting for her in it...

"Is there something wrong, Rin?"

The cinnamon-eyed teenager gulped and hastily shook her head, breathing in deeply to exhale her apprehension away. She fleetingly damned Sesshoumaru's deep voice—sadly, it always summoned a merciless hand to grasp her heart and lungs and keep her from breathing normally.

Not to mention that her own blood betrayed her by rushing to her cheeks every time he spoke...

The teen forced a cheerful smile on her flushed face and responded, "N-No! Not at all!" _Don't think about him, don't think about him, don't think...about...oh, will power isn't working! Why do you have to sleep shirtless, Sesshoumaru? And why do you have to be so sexy? _

"Then why are you just standing there as if our bed was suddenly engulfed by a pit of flame?" The dog demon raised a dark brow at his vacillate fiancée, but he deduced a reason without her having to tell him. He could see it glistening in her cinnamon eyes.

Her reluctance...it was all because...

"You are hesitant because of _me_, correct?"

Bingo. "W-Well...uhh...when you put it _that_ way..."

Sesshoumaru sighed and raked a clawed hand through his tenuous silver bangs. This was why he should never be around humans, much less be _engaged_ to one—their emotions and inanity thinned his patience. "What..._happened_ this morning was a...mistake. I assure you it will _not_ occur again."

Rin blinked once. Twice. Three times now.

No matter how fast the wheels were turning in her head, she couldn't understand what he was saying. _It w-was...a m-mistake? _

He kissed the life out of her because of a stupid mistake?! _No wonder he avoided me_—_it didn't mean anything to him at all. I guess I was just...stress relief. There's nothing wrong with that, right? _She was ok with it.

Not.

"Oh, then, um, I guess I'll just..." She trailed off, feeling like an idiot...which she was.

How dumb of her; she actually thought he had felt attracted to her or something like that. Even though she had been angry with him—and still was, it turned out that a receipt only scared him for two seconds—Rin never imagined he would...well...that he would...

Never mind.

Sesshoumaru shifted over on the queen-sized bed, inviting his fiancée to sleep beside him with as much space between them as possible. He couldn't comprehend why he caught a spike in her floral scent, a spike meaning she felt hurt.

Why would she feel hurt; was it something he said? Of course their make-out session was a mistake—what else did she want it to be? The only time he would touch her like that again, hell, even _kiss_ her again would be on their wedding night.

"Rin..." She sighed somewhat desolately and obeyed him without any reservations.

Quietly, and carefully keeping her distance, she slipped into bed beside her fiancé and soon found herself lying on her back, staring at the beige ceiling to keep her mind off the welcoming warmth of the body next to her.

_I hate the color of this room... _Yeah, she was actually succeeding for once.

"Rin..." Sesshoumaru moved to lie on his side, facing the obsidian-haired teen beside him, who was still staring intently at the ceiling. "Why are you hurt?"

Well _that _surely caught her off guard. "What do you mean? I'm absolutely fine."

"Lying is not befitting of you."

"Then you'll just have to deal with it."

A tense silence ensued with one of the two not knowing how to proceed on treacherous ground while the other just wanted sleep to take her before her resolve collapsed. About a minute later, however, Rin briefly shut her eyes and whispered, "Do you...do you kiss every girl you're with like how you kissed me?"

_Do you make her feel special, make her feel as if you might be starting to care about her? _She did not dare ask any further...she couldn't bear what the answer would be.

Her voice had been heavy with emotion, so much that it caught Sesshoumaru off guard. Was it supposed to be a trick question? _How does she want me to answer? _He could be honest, but, then again, he could be a liar just to make himself feel better. Did this turn into a matter of pride all of a sudden?

He fathomed it did.

"Yes...yes, Rin, I do. There was nothing...nothing special about the kiss we shared."

She clenched her eyes shut to provide a barricade for her tears as her lips twisted into a smile of irony. Hmph, she should have known...and deep down inside, she acknowledged it. Sesshoumaru would never be hers. Not really.

Her husband? Yes.

Her lover...? No.

"I...I understand." Rin let out a shaky sigh and turned onto her side, making sure her back faced her fiancé. After a few uneasy seconds, she heard him sigh as well and felt his arms snake around her waist—she immediately tensed. "Please don't...just...just don't."

The dog demon had no choice but to comply and kept his distance, moving farther away from the cinnamon-eyed teen, who radiated an aura of depression. He couldn't understand what he had done wrong!

Why would his opinion of their kiss matter so much to her?! Why would the fact that he was experienced bother her so much?! They've only known each other for a day—she couldn't already be developing feelings for him! Impossible!

Either way, he lied on his back, copying Rin's actions from before, staring blankly at the ceiling...without anything to do. He felt incredibly lonely; he always welcomed solitude, yet obviously, it wasn't welcomed now.

He soon decided that sleep was of no loss to him—he would have to leave in about an hour anyway to...'hunt', but only once Rin fell asleep.

It was a shame Sesshoumaru didn't know the real reason why Rin was depressed.

And it was also a shame Rin hadn't discerned Sesshoumaru's blatant lie.

**

* * *

**

It was midnight; that much she could tell within her dark surroundings. The sterling full moon was hanging high in the navy blue ocean that was the sky, shining as bright as the silver stars lining it.

She was confused—she was in an alley with the moon as the sole provider of light; why was she here? Somewhere deep within the city, miles away from the academy she called home...alone and somewhat frightened...wasn't anyone she knew with her?

Suddenly, her chocolate eyes caught some movement behind her...along with a bright, pristine color only matching the lustrous moon in hue. She turned only to see two demons standing before her, each with different shades of silvery white hair and golden eyes the color of the sun.

One of them even had furry dog ears atop of his head, perked proudly unique compared to the pointed ears of the other demon's. The aspect shocking her most about these two demons, however, was that...

...she knew them.

_Sesshoumaru and Inuyasha...why would I be dreaming of them? _The expressions on their faces surprised her the most. Both of their faces were made of stone—even the normally brash and hot-headed hanyou looked grim and sedate like his brother for once.

Though, their expressions, accompanied by the way they stood with their shoulders pulled back and chins held high, reminded her of two brave warriors ready for battle. _I don't get it...what's going on? _

The brothers were also dressed differently. Their clothing seemed imperial—Kagome was certain that the rich black cloth they wore was made from expensive silk. Heck, their matching kimono shirts were neatly tucked under light weight black breast plates that suited their lean figures handsomely.

The miko would've been ogling her fiancé with a blush blooming in her cheeks if she hadn't caught the gleam of a sword's handle at his side... He wasn't the only one; Sesshoumaru possessed a sword as well.

"Hey you guys, why are we in an alley? It's kinda scary in here...and do you really need those swords?" She shivered as goose bumps proceeded to cover her bare arms and legs—her sixth sense was acting up, telling her that danger was approaching.

Yet, the two demons still stood aloof as ever, unfazed by her and whatever was quickly coming their way. "Hellooo, anyone in there?" She waved her slender hand in front of the brothers' faces, _even_ Sesshoumaru's, but they did not budge one millimeter.

_What in the world is going on? What kind of dream is this?_ Apparently, they couldn't see her, because she was sure Inuyasha would have already snapped at her for waving her hand in his face. Heck, she took the chance to rub his ears and the appendages hardly twitched. _Am I invisible?_

"I knew you'd both come."

Kagome quickly spun around only to nearly shriek when she came face to face with a dark haired demon who wore black-tinted glasses—it was one of the demons who had been spying on her at the mall earlier. She blinked—she was approximately a hairsbreadth away from him and he didn't notice her; that confirmed her belief that she was invisible.

"Keh," Inuyasha finally spoke, but his fiancée noted he was struggling to control the growl in his voice, "cut the crap and state your fucking business."

He was on edge; even Sesshoumaru seemed a little solicitous by the way his clawed hand slowly and discreetly gripped the ornate handle of the sword at his left side.

Three more demons abruptly treaded behind their apparent leader, coming from the thick blankets of darkness cloaking the alley from sight. The sable-haired demon, the leader, smirked, revealing a pearl white fang. "Easy there, hanyou. We are only here to carry out the orders of our master."

"Hn, orders? I assume your master sent you on a suicide mission."

Kagome watched Sesshoumaru narrow his eyes, almost as if he knew something no one else fathomed. He was amazingly good at detecting obscure details before others had the chance to blink, but the miko didn't know what was so special about these four demons that could pass off as quadruplets.

"You assume correctly." The demon, who was apparently the only one gifted with a voice, at last removed his sunglasses, revealing crimson eyes that contained a blood thirsty glint in them.

Kagome gasped in shock and tentatively moved away from him, fleetingly wondering why the two brothers near her had both sharply inhaled for _other_ reasons.

"I was right; you are all puppets...of _him_."

Kagome grew confused due to the silver-haired immortal's declaration. _Puppets...they're puppets? And who's 'him'?_

"Hmph, since you're filthy puppets of that bastard, then I'll be really glad to help you commit suicide!" Inuyasha unsheathed his sword, which in the moonlight seemed tattered and beaten up.

Then, Kagome's eyes widened when the sword transformed into a large, fang-like blade, and it was precariously pointed towards the group of demons in front of him. Sesshoumaru followed his actions, yet his sword was much more elegant; beautiful though lethal...sharp and deadly.

The puppet's expression became grim. "Then let us begin."

Without any more words, the fight commenced, even if the other demons didn't have weapons like the two brothers. **CLASH! CLANG!** Kagome observed each slash of Inuyasha's sword, every swipe of Sesshoumaru's blade—she cheered when her fiancé impaled one of the four demons.

However, their enemies soon retaliated, morphing their arms into enormous horrid-looking black knives. This technique proved to be stronger than any sword, even if it belonged to two powerful demon gods. _This doesn't look good..._

**TWAANG! BANG!**

_Oh no...Inuyasha!_ She was worried about him—he was combating _two_ demons, his lone sword was fighting against _four_ long blades...did he stand a chance? _Wait_—_why does he look like he's...he's tired?! Inuyasha!_

Kagome wanted to help him, but what could she do while invisible and defenseless?

The deadly pit of belligerent demons soon split—the two demon brothers jumped back for a quick break, each one of them gasping for air, panting for life. They both seemed tired...but they had only been fighting for five minutes! What was going on?!

Heck, even Sesshoumaru fell onto his knees after Inuyasha did, his broad sword imbedded into the cemented ground, acting as his only support. The hanyou was sweating profusely, and he took the moment to wipe a thin dribble of blood from his chin.

"Inuyasha...summon your remaining energy to your fingertips and release it only when I do the same." He nodded without any reservations and did as his brother commanded.

The invisible miko gawked in sheer astonishment when Inuyasha's finger tips glowed a bright gold while Sesshoumaru's radiated a vibrant cerulean blue, and they then threw their hands back as if they were going to pitch a ball, the energy flowing from their fingertips abruptly forming into revolving orbs. The brothers launched the orbs simultaneously and Kagome tried her best to follow the rapid movement, which rivaled the speed of light.

_Whoah, that is so cool... _It was the only thing she could think at the moment...

The leader of the four demons had taken the brunt of attack, brandishing a gaping hole in his chest. He hardly seemed fazed by it, however, and Kagome's eyes grew in horror—each and every one of the wounds these demons sustained instantly disappeared! It couldn't be a demon trait because Sesshoumaru bore a nasty wound on his arm and _that_ hadn't closed in an instant!

"Dammit..." Inuyasha gasped, still kneeling on the ground, his knuckles turning white with the grip he held his sword in.

Kagome was seriously debating whether or not she could beat up these demon puppets even if she technically wasn't present. Was this all still a dream or what? _If it is, please, gods, let me wake up! I don't want to see Inuyasha hurt anymore... _

"Feeling tired, my princes?" The leading scout smirked maliciously again, his crimson eyes darkening a shade with the hollow chuckle that escaped his lips. He knew the alley was too narrow for his opponents to unleash their full powers. "You must have noticed the evident decrease in your energy. It's an ability demon puppets have recently acquired—our youki are absorbing yours."

"Keh, why do evil bastards like you always feel the need to flaunt their stupid 'abilities'?! As if I care about your damn powers, asshole! Don't waste my time talking shit!" Inuyasha growled and leapt to his feet. "Just what the hell did this master of yours order you to do, anyway? I'm sure it wasn't just to spy on us or fight like this."

The scout grinned. "It's a shame you haven't realized our true intent."

Sesshoumaru's eyes widened once he realized what was occurring. How could he have disregarded what he originally sensed before at the mall?!

Inuyasha—and Kagome, who was safely standing off to the side—still did not comprehend the demon's statement. "Stop dancing around the point and spit it out already!"

"All you need to know...is that there weren't initially four of us puppets..."

Sesshoumaru then finished off the sentence. "No, there were six..."

And Inuyasha finally caught on... "This is a distraction...four of them are here now fighting us...and the other two went after Kagome and Rin..."

* * *

**A/N: OVER!**

* * *

**This chappie has been edited as of 1-19-09**


	7. Just a Little Blood Stealing

**A/N: KONNICHIWA!! :-D Happy first day of summer!**

**And please profusely thank my new beta reader **Kinkatia** for doing such a wonderful job editing this chapter and having to deal with my horrible grammar! Give her your thanks for making this story more readable! Because I suck at grammar and everything after it...anywho, thank you times a million, Kinkatia! I always miss apostrophes even if I try** **not to, O.O**

**ENJOY THE CHAPPIE!**

* * *

**Oh My Gods! 7**

She still couldn't believe it--gods, she was such an idiot. Why did she have to be an emotionally attached person? Why couldn't she be cold and impassive like him? Heck, if she were anything like him, would she be feeling worse than crap right now? No, she'd be happily slumbering and not spending every single damn minute thinking about him.

But she just couldn't believe it.

Did she do something wrong? Was she not good enough--or maybe experienced enough--for him? Hmph, as if she could ever leave him speechless, wowed, amazed...whatever other word came to mind. As if she, an unworldly, inexperienced virgin, could ever please _him_, a...sex god; he sure looked like a sex god...Yes, there was no use pondering it; their kiss, their _first_ kiss meant absolutely nothing. At least to him.

Rin sighed and flipped onto her back, stretching her limbs across the queen-sized bed as far as they could go. She didn't even have the will to wonder where her fiancé had gone in the middle of the night--she had sensed when he had suddenly gotten up and left their bed, and there were no signs of his return. _Where could he be? It's been an hour since he left so it couldn't have been a bathroom break. _It was also highly unlikely that a proud, regal demon like him would camp out in the bathroom...

_Was I so pathetic in his eyes that he left? Maybe that was it_. Dammit, why was she wallowing in self-pity?! Why did she care so much about what he thought of her? Rin gritted her teeth and fisted her hands, now feeling self-hatred rather than pity. She was such a weak person that it disgusted her. _That's it! I'm not going to think about him anymore and I'm going to sleep! _She closed her eyes...and waited.

And waited.

And waited.

And waited.

"Ok, so I guess I'm not getting any sleep tonight." The obsidian-haired teenager groaned and rubbed her eyes before she sat up on the large bed. "Now what? I can't watch T.V. because no one bought one, my laptop's battery needs to charge, my mp3 player is some...where..." She abruptly trailed off with a grim expression on her young face, while her cinnamon eyes darted from wall to wall. Something seemed wrong, even unusual...but what was it?

Paranoia soon clouded her judgment, forcing Rin to imagine false things amongst the dense black from either side of her. For a moment there, she thought she saw a cloaked silhouette standing beside a tall wooden dresser...no, that impossible. Her room was dark, of course, so she couldn't really tell what was true and what her imagination created out of fear; however, she knew for certain that _no one_ was in the room with her. The air surrounding her then became thick, almost to the point of being suffocating, and she tensed, her 'sixth sense' telling her that danger was quickly approaching. _Something is definitely out of place. _

**BANG!**

**"KYAAAAAAAA**--wait a second, is that...Kagome?!" Rin blinked and lowered the comforter that she had grabbed onto for dear life when the door to her room had been slammed open. Standing precariously in the doorway was in fact a certain raven-haired teenager, who was gasping in fright; she had shrieked only because her friend did first. _For a second there, I thought I was going to die! _The teen sitting on the bed nervously chuckled and her breathing finally steadied.

"R-Rin! You scared the crap out of me! I thought you'd be asleep!" Kagome's chocolate eyes then widened after she remembered just why she had barged into the room across from hers in the middle of the night. The younger teen just looked on in confusion. "We have no time! Hurry, get up or we're going to die!"

_Ah, so I _am_ going to die either way. _Rin rolled her eyes, but complied nonetheless. Her friend seemed too perplexed and edgy to be faking a serious dilemma. She soon frowned when the thought suck in. "What's going on?"

"Hell if I know!" It was rare for the teen to swear, which only added to the gravity of their current situation. "One second I'm sleeping, the next I'm watching a battle between our fiancés and some weird demon puppets--"

"Hold on--**what?!** B-But...h-how?!" Rin was baffled. Everything Kagome was saying didn't make any sense at all! _And what battle, what demon puppets--heck, what is going on?! _

"I don't know!! Now's not the time to explain things--we have to think of something quick because we are going to be attacked by demon puppets!"

The other girl's head swam with the information. "An a-attack? Oh geez, this is just what I need to make my day even worse!" She gasped when she realized something seemingly important. "N-No...I'm going to die before I can get revenge on Sesshoumaru! I **can't** die yet!! I DON'T WANNA DIE!! THAT STUPID-ASS RACCOON DOG HAS TO _**PAY**_ FOR CALLING OUR KISS A **MISTAKE!!" **

The miko was having trouble understanding Rin's half-cries, half-screams of rage. Er, since when was the silver-haired demon a raccoon dog? _And he did...what?! He called it a mistake?! _If she wasn't soon to be facing her impendent death, she'd also be livid right now... _I'll kill him...and I'll kill Inuyasha just for heck of it...hehehe... _Maybe two irate teenagers were scarier than mighty morphing power ranger puppets...not to mention much more homicidal...

Kagome sighed to clear her mind from apprehension and fury, even if just for a second. She needed to think of a plan, although she doubted anything would protect her against two demon puppets equipped with enough tenacious 'techniques' to send her to hell. What could she do? _I knew I should've listened to Gramps and learned how to control my miko abilities! _She _had _the ability to purify demons...but, uhh..._drawing_ upon that power was the problem at the moment...

_Gods, we're defenseless! We have no weapons, no magical powers--nothing to even stall time! All we can do is hide, but where? Where can we go if these piece of crap demons will only sniff us out? _The miko figured that the impossible was her only choice.

"Rin, we're gonna face them dead-on, ok?"

"I'll shove the Receipt from Hell down his throat and the Slipper of Death up his ass. I should also stick a parking cone somewhere in there while I'm at it...yeah...and I'll take his Mercedes to Okinawa with me..."

Evidently, Rin wasn't listening.

"Hellooo...our funerals might take place soon..."

The teen was unfazed as she blankly stared at her raven-haired friend. "Is there something else you want while we wait to pick out Sesshoumaru's, I mean _our_ caskets?"

Kagome rolled her eyes. "It's kinda late now--I already chose a pretty silver one for me and a red one for Inuyasha...uh, anyway...maybe we can survive at least until the guys come to save us. They should be on their way; they just have their own opponents to take care of first..."

The cinnamon-eyed teenager gaped at her friend. _So is _that _where Sesshoumaru left at midnight? To fight these demon puppet people? _"I knew I should've committed suicide with that receipt earlier. Now we _both_ have to face the consequences of being engaged to demon gods..." Kagome allowed herself to smile a bit. Not even two days together and she was already being attacked by Inuyasha's enemies. Sheesh.

Silence ensued as the two teenagers stood awkwardly in the middle of Rin's room, huddled close to each other with their eyes and ears always alert. They decided that since it was feckless to hide, and their demise was coming either way, it would be better to have died bravely, right? Both girls just hoped their fiancés were well on their way...

"It was nice knowing you, Kagome," Rin muttered before she latched onto the teen's arm, and the miko merely shuddered as her sixth sense rocketed with presentiment, "even if we've only known each other for less than two days, I still feel like you're my best friend. Hmph, you're my _only_ friend..."

_Aw, that's so sweet!_ She wanted to cry! "Thanks, Rin--the same goes for you...except the no friend part because you met mine earlier...unfortunately. If we survive this ordeal, then we're definitely having a Girl's Night Out, best friend!"

"That sounds--"

"Sorry to have kept you waiting, my princesses, but I must interrupt your lovely chat."

Kagome and Rin simultaneously gasped and spun around only to come face to face with a handsome lavender-eyed demon who had long, inky black hair tied into a high pony tail. The latter teen had never seen this demon before; therefore, she didn't know how powerful he was, but the former girl remembered their previous 'encounter' and mentally prayed for her fiancé to come quickly. But...this demon was different from the other puppets Kagome had seen in her 'dream'...this one actually had lavender eyes rather than silver, and he also had facial markings--one jagged indigo stripe running across each of his cheeks.

Why would this demon puppet stand out from the others?

"It's such a shame that Prince Sesshoumaru and Prince Inuyasha have yet to arrive. Don't worry--in the end, their blood will join yours." A second demon walked out of the dark shadows, and strangely, even if he could pass off as a twin of the first, he didn't have the striking lavender eyes; instead, he had intimidating silver eyes. Kagome couldn't fathom why these two demons with markings and distinct eye colors were not the same as the other four demon puppets.

Rin only felt light-headed when she noticed that he had come from beside the dresser...she realized that the silhouette she had thought she imagined...was actually a demon puppet thing. She didn't even _want_ to know how long he had been watching her...

"Well, let us begin. We don't require much from you ladies tonight. Our master only wishes for blood. _Your_ blood." The silver-eyed demon standing the closest to the stunned pair of teenagers smirked, showing off one of his pearl white fangs in warning of what might happen if the girls decided not to cooperate.

"...huh?" That was Rin's articulate response. She was merely stared at.

"In simple terms, all you need to do is put your palm up like this," the lavender-eyed demon turned his hand over so that his ashen palm faced the ceiling--Kagome oddly felt like she was watching one of those stupid exercise videos, "and then we'll take this dagger and make a small cut. Be assured that there will be no mess because it will suck up your blood like a leech."

_That was supposed to be reassuring?_ The dagger that the demon was holding in his left hand was anything but assuring with its gleaming ruby red blade reminding her of a masked murderer's weapon. _That thing is getting no where near me. _Kagome nodded to encourage herself. She still wondered why neither she nor Rin had fled from these two frightening demons...the vibrant inhuman silver and lavender of their irises bearing holes into her being was freaking the miko out...

"Shall we then, my princesses?" _It's as if they're asking us to dance... _Yup, the raven haired teen was still not running away.

"Just who do you think you are?!" Kagome blinked repeatedly and edged away from a now furious Rin. She was so angry that she even marched up to the 'leader' of the two demons and pointed a finger at his black-suited chest. "Do you think we're a blood bank or something?! Hell no! If you want our blood, then you **better** be suffering from Hemophilia!"

The demon momentarily shut his arctic silver-eyes. "My princess--"

"Don't 'my princess' me, you jerk! What do you want our blood for, anyway? Where's it going and what will be done with it? Hmph, the next thing I know, I'll go into Loki and-- what's this?! A clone of me is buying the shirt I want! And it's the last one _on sale_ for seventy-five percent off!"

Rin hardly noticed that she was yelling at two potentially dangerous demons who could both snap her fragile neck with next to no effort. It just angered her that these jerks came out of no where and expected to receive blood for free! After stalking her for who knows how long--did they _really_ think that she would smile and say, 'Here ya go, misters! Take all the blood you need! I don't mind that you've been watching me, are as scary looking as your daggers, and that I may see my clone running around tomorrow! While you're at it, you can take my kidney, too! Now, would you like some tea?'

Kagome bit her lip and debated whether or not she should interrupt Rin's frenzy. She glanced at the two demons in front of her, and saw them exchange a nod, as if they agreed to do something--but what? She gulped, imagining the worst, and faced her friend, placing her hand on her shoulder to 'assuage' her. _If she keeps this up... _"Rin, calm down. We could--"

"No way in hell! You can just go stalk some other defenseless women, and tell your master to shove that dagger up his--ah! W-Wha--?!"

The demon had moved so fast that in the blink of an eye, Rin found herself in the arms of whom she recognized as an enemy, with her arms pinned to her sides, and it was now that terror lurked in her heart. His frigid arctic silver eyes contained a fierce bloodthirsty glint in them that seemed to smile at her connivingly...in that moment, she felt like she couldn't look anywhere else...

"R-Rin! **RIN!! **Snap out of it! Fight back! Move! **RIN!"** Kagome was shouting at her, and she appeared to be struggling with someone--when had the other demon moved, too? But it wasn't like the obsidian haired teen could glance at her friend, who probably needed her help...the eyes of this demon steadily held her own in a transfixing gaze of dominance.

"I like your spunk, my princess; my master was not lying when he said that you'll need as much restraint as Prince Sesshoumaru," the demon crooned in his smooth voice and leaned his head forward, enough so that his lips were nearly touching hers, "but I am not so patient. You will not let me accomplish my mission willingly, so I will have to achieve it by any means possible..." Rin's heart pounded in her ears. _What is this demon getting at? And how does his master, whoever he is, know me? _

**"RIIIN!!** Argh, let go of me!! **LET GO!"** Kagome still managed to scream with the dark haired demon now choke holding her, but her attempts to rouse her friend from whatever trance she fell in was futile. She watched achingly as the demon who had grabbed Rin let the dagger in his hand fall to the floor with a faint thud, and his free hand went to fist in her obsidian locks of her, pulling her head back without any protest from the teen. The miko momentarily stopped her thrashing and observed the scene before her.

His silver eyes raked over her slender neck and trailed all the way to her luscious rosy lips. "You truly are beautiful for a human, you as well Princess Kagome. It's a shame, Princess Rin, that you will be wasted on an ungrateful mutt who does not desire you..."

That only caused her anger to build up again. "Don't _assume_ that you know--" Her sentence was abruptly cut off when the demon's lips aggressively claimed hers, and as much as she strived to, she couldn't shake him off. She tried to bite his tongue when the damn appendage found its way inside her mouth, as disgusting as it was, but nothing worked! _Why did nothing work?! That's it, I'm filing for rape!_

Just as quickly as he had kissed her, the demon pulled away from a dazed and annoyed Rin. With one swift movement, he tightened his grip on the teen's hair and jerked her head back, yet it was only to settle his lips over the conjunction of her neck and shoulder. She was just about to tell this overly presumptuous demon off, though, what passed through her lips was actually a pained gasp--he had sunk his sharp fangs into her delicate flesh. Her cinnamon eyes widened as the unfamiliar--and primarily unwanted--sensation of him sucking her blood overtook her senses; it also scared her when she started to feel a little light-headed. _What's he...vampire? C-Cool...vampy suck m-me blood...eheh...vampy... _A tired moan escaped her lips--now she was feeling pretty dizzy...

"Oh no! Rin! Crap, crap, crap, **CRAP!" **_Where's that goddamn Sesshoumaru when you need him?! And I'm going to fucking __**kill **__Inuyasha! _Kagome swore profusely in her mind, damning every single thing she could think of, mainly a certain immortal and demon puppets. _Wait until I get my hands on-- _"**AHH!** W-What in t-the...?" Her chocolate eyes swept passed the suit-clad arm around her neck, and she managed to catch a glimpse of a black hilt...belonging to a..._dagger_ protruding from her side? _That asshole stabbed me!_She couldn't think it through when she suddenly felt odd...as if something was...her blood was...crap! _The dagger...it's absorbing my blood! _Her precious blood was flowing out of her veins and into that abominable 'weapon'--it was a peculiar feeling, no doubt--it was like a swoosh that could've felt immensely pleasurable...if it wasn't a freakin' dagger sucking up her blood!! _But Rin... _The miko looked up and noted the rivulets of blood staining her friend's orange cami, not to mention that her limp body was practically being held up by that demon puppet person. _This is bad! Ugh, I'm losing too much blood...no, I have to help! _

There was no way she could win against a demon, though...so she couldn't aid her friend.

_I'm useless...so weak. _

But then--

**BAM!!**

**"GET AWAY FROM HER YOU FUCKING BASTARD!!" **

"I-Inu...ack!" Kagome's face met the carpeted floor the instant she heard a male voice shout vehement profanities she could never muster the courage to utter. She looked up, her heart fluttering with relief and hope, and her lips curved into a wide grin at the sight of her silver-haired hero standing in front of her, bearing his fangs at the demon puppet, who was currently sheathing his dagger with a hand pressed against his wounded side. The grin erased, however, when she caught sight of the tattered 'modern' clothing her fiancé wore, which was ripped and covered in blood stains. "Inuyasha!"

Hadn't he been wearing some kind of regal armor earlier?

She made a move to stand, yet the hanyou growled at her to stay put. She decided to heed him--he looked absolutely furious. _Well, Inuyasha's here to save the day...or night, whatever it is, but what about... _She trailed off and immediately looked for Rin, and she had to sigh when she saw that her friend was safely tucked in the arms of her own fiancé. _How about that...Sesshoumaru looks even scarier than normal...and his clothes aren't any better than Inuyasha's... _

"Kizurei, we have what we came here for and the others must have accomplished their task. Master will be pleased." The silver-eyed demon smirked and wiped Rin's and his own blood from the corners of his mouth, acting nonchalant even with the glare Sesshoumaru was giving him.

"Let's head back to our master then, Meimori. It was a pleasure to meet the future ladies of the Western-Eastern Empire. Have a good night." The lavender-eyed demon nodded to the two growling brothers, and without any other words, the two demon puppets silently disappeared into nothingness, not forgetting to bring their daggers with them.

"Fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck, **FUUUCK!** I am going to...to...grr, I'll **KILL HIM!!"** Inuyasha panted as his throat and chest rumbled with the growls he tried hard to restrain. How could he have let this happen?! How could he have been so stupid as to fall into a trap that not only harmed him, but his fiancée as well--his _innocent_ fiancée who had nothing to do with...with...dammit, she was _already_ being used against him! If she had been killed... _I'd never forgive myself. _

With that thought, Inuyasha turned around and knelt beside Kagome, and lifted up her strangely blood-free shirt enough to view the thin yet deep cut marring her creamy skin. _I'm going to kill the bastard_, he mentally growled, and began to heal the wound.

Kagome blinked as she watched him, amazed at the ability she didn't think immortals had. "Wow, you're a healer, too, Inuyasha?" _And that demon puppet guy was right--the cut _is_ mess free._

The hanyou kehed. "I'm not actually a healer. I'm just using my energy to quicken what your body can already do. My saliva can do that, too, ya know, the kicks of being a dog demon, but I doubt you'd want me to lick you." The miko giggled due to the tickling sensations of his golden energy infiltrating her stab wound, though it was all over after a few seconds. Once he was done, Inuyasha sighed--it was more of a growl, though--and faced Sesshoumaru to observe his outlook on Rin's condition.

The dog demon cupped Rin's cheek with his free hand, staring deeply into her eyes--he immediately noted how unfocused they were, and her pupils were extremely dilated. She was all but limp in his arms--he had also healed the bite wound on her neck, but unlike his brother, he had licked the injury closed to disperse the scent of that...that _bastard_. He'd be damned before he would allow her to reek of _him_. "Rin...? Can you hear me?"

The teenager twitched her fingers a little bit, and she groaned in exhaustion. She could hardly summon the strength to do anything more than that. "Mm, Sesshy-kun...n-no, I like...Fluffy-kun..."

_Sesshy-kun? Fluffy-kun?_ The immortal remembered that Eri had called him the former, and it seemed that his fiancée decided to create another pet name for him. _Rin must be in a daze...I am not fluffy. _"Rin...snap out of it."

"...bunny...machine gun with bunny...he gonna kill Fluffy-kun...yay...me help..." She suddenly smiled, though it obviously took some effort. "Gnomes say...vampy mean, vampy...gone? Eheh...vampy kiss me again!"

Sesshoumaru tensed. "What does she mean by...again?" The question was aimed at the human miko who had watched the entire confrontation between the silver-eyed demon and Rin, but she couldn't answer when a certain dog demon was glaring at her as if she had pressured her friend into it!

"Err...uh...she just...um..." _He wouldn't believe me if I say she's just hallucinating... _"Well, that demon guy did kiss her before he bit her neck..." _Great, he's even scarier when he has no expression on his face! _

"He probably did that just to annoy the hell out of you. Keh, looks like I'm not the only one who wants to rip _his_ damn throat out," Inuyasha mumbled darkly, hiding his concern with the urge to seize retribution. His fiancée glowered at him. _That asshole Kizurei better not have kissed Kagome..._ He sent a suspicious glare at the raven-haired teen, wondering if she was keeping it from him; though, he didn't think he could handle asking her if that bastard truly had kissed her--he'd probably lose control of his already furious inner demon.

"Is she going to be alright?" A pale Kagome asked in obvious worry. She was now leaning on Inuyasha for support after she refused to be carried--she felt only a little weak because, of course, that dagger thing had absorbed most of her blood. Her friend seemed to be worse off, however, since she was hallucinating--she had lost more blood than _any one _had initially thought. And it troubled her even more when Sesshoumaru refrained from answering.

"Come on, wench, you need to get some rest. It's been a long night." The miko sadly closed her eyes and allowed Inuyasha to lead her to their room. She did, however, glance back at her friend, now unconscious in the arms of Sesshoumaru, and she noticed the nearly concerned look in his golden honey eyes as he stared down at her immobile form. She knew that Rin's condition must not be good if even a stoic demon god was showing his worry for her.

_Rin...I hope you get better..._

* * *

"Are you sure you're going to be ok?"

"Yes, dammit!"

"Well, excuse me for worrying about the gaping hole in your gut!"

"It's not gaping anymore! Shit, I _knew_ I never should've told you!"

"Whatever! What about that gash on your side?"

"The 'gash' is just a _scratch_."

"Inuyasha, a scratch to you is like that hole in your gut to me."

"Can you shut up about that already?!"

"No! That wound looked terrible! Why didn't you just heal it like you did mine?"

"_Because_, Kagome, my powers don't work like that! I only used my youki to speed up your slow _human_ healing process! I can't use the youki I _already_ have to quicken my _already_ fast _demon_ healing process!"

"Is there a reason why you're so angry right now?"

**"NO!" **

"_-sigh-_ What do ya want now?"

"Just that...when you and Sesshoumaru were fighting those demon puppets...why were they different than the demons that came after Rin and I?"

"H-How do you...how do you know about that?"

Inuyasha and Kagome were preparing to sleep for the night...again. They both needed to put on new clothes, anyway, and moving around helped to lessen the tension in their muscles. But the miko had caught sight of her fiancé's not-so-pretty injuries, and remembered that he had fought his own nasty battle...she had then taken the liberty of bandaging the protesting hanyou's wounds, yet she couldn't help worrying about him nonetheless.

It was only when she asked about what had been bothering her that things between her and Inuyasha solemned again.

The silver-haired hanyou god abruptly stilled his movements, a black shirt falling from his hands, and faced Kagome with a bemused glint in his golden amber eyes. She had yet to answer his previous question, and for some reason, she was meekly staring at the dark carpeted floor rather than at him. Was she hiding something important from him?

"Kagome, how in the hell did you find out about that fight?" The hanyou prompted. He knew, however, that there was no credible way that she could have known if she hadn't been told by someone who had been there, namely Sesshoumaru or himself. So how did she know?! _Unless...no, that's impossible. We're not mates to have _that_ kind of bond. _

At long last, the miko looked up and ceased to fiddle with the hem of her new hunter green sleeping cami. "Well, I...uh... I don't know actually. I was just..._sleeping_, and I thought I was having a dream about being in an alley at midnight, I guess." The hanyou tensed. _So far...she's right about the setting. _

She shrugged as if it was nothing new, and dared to peek at her fiancé, but the look on Inuyasha's face was the complete opposite. "You and Sesshoumaru came a second later wearing that cool black armor, but you guys couldn't see me at all, and the demon puppet people appeared out of no where...then you all started fighting--I only woke up when you said that two other demons were sent to attack me and Rin."

The raven-haired teenager blinked when she noticed her fiancé's blank expression. Sure, it was an unnatural thing, but _she_ wasn't freaking out over it. Heck, she hadn't had the time to ponder it since her mind was too occupied with recent events...such as the weak state of her friend, blood-sucking daggers--you know, the 'usual'. So, really, there was no reason for a normally brash hanyou to become stoic in..._Wait--does Inuyasha know the cause of my vision, dream, whatever it should be called? _"Inu--"

"It's so weird...forget that, it's fucking **impossible!" **

She cocked her head in confusion. "Yeah, it is, but--"

"I mean, what you..._saw_, it actually _happened_. You were there, but then you weren't...No, your subconscious _mind_ was there..." He trailed off before he crossed his arms, his ears twitching a couple of times as he deeply thought about it. Apparently, with the way he growled, he was getting no where.

"And that means..._what_ exactly...?" Kagome inquired, raising a thin brow incredulously.

Inuyasha rolled his eyes. "It means, wench, that you're connected to me in ways we shouldn't be! I don't know how, but your subconscious self sought out mine when I guess I was in 'danger'--but I just don't fucking get it! That's something only _mates_ should have! And remember when we first met in my training grounds? Right after that, I was attacked, and I think you had sensed that."

Kagome was still riding on the merry-go-round in Confuzzled World. "So you're saying the reason why I 'subconsciously' traveled to the immortal realm in the first place was because _you_ were in danger? And I supposedly know these kind of things without actually...knowing?"

She received a nod in return. "Yeah...the chances of having a bond like that is next to nothing--I've heard of such a thing happening only between mates since they're connected in mind, body, and soul."

"We're not mated, yet...right?"

"Keh! Don't you know anything about demons?!" As if they were going to be mated after meeting not even two days ago! What a load of bull! "In order to be _mated_, we need to...uhh...we just need to mate, ya stupid wench!"

Kagome didn't even wonder why her fiancé was blushing. "Hey, it's not my fault my gramps is boring to listen to!" _Letting him rant on about demons will only make someone sleep through a hurricane._ "So...that means we're not mated?"

"Keh! Didn't I just make that clear?! Fuck no! We're not mated and we won't be mated until...until...keh!"

"You say 'keh' a lot..."

The hanyou decided to finally pick up his forgotten shirt, the one he wanted to use to hide his bandaged wounds so that Kagome wouldn't nag at him, and replied, "_Keh_..."

The two teens then sighed in unison and headed towards their bed--they were both substantially exhausted, and sleep sounded like heaven. Though, a thought struck Inuyasha before he could get on the bed, and he stared unwaveringly at his fiancée, who was already snuggling up under the covers. He gulped, wanting so badly to join her but fearing the consequences of doing so. _Stupid wench, stupid bed, stupid...stupid, err... stupid Sesshoumaru! _

It was only a minute later that Kagome noticed the absence of her fiancé, and she looked towards her opposite side of the bed to see him--with ears cutely drooped and all--staring longingly at the bed. "Something wrong, Inuyasha? Why are you just standing there?" _He looks so sad...aww...huh? Cute dog demons will be the death of me..._"_You_ of all people should know, wench. I don't want to be called a 'hentai' anymore just because I want a good night's sleep." He crossed his arms and tapped his foot impatiently.

"Fine, fine, fine! I guess it wouldn't hurt for you to sleep on the bed so long as you don't end up raping me..." _I love teasing him..._

The hanyou recoiled as if she had physically struck him. "Why the hell would I want to rape an annoying bitch like you?!"

"Because you want me..."

"Oh yeah--I want you truly, madly, deeply...because I just saw Sesshoumaru in a thong."

A few minutes later, after Kagome finally recovered from her fit of laughter, in which Inuyasha had fueled her humor by saying more obscene things about his older brother, the couple found themselves on their backs, staring blankly at the ceiling. Sleep wasn't coming easily to them, so there wasn't much to do but...

Wait, Kagome had a question that needed answering!

"Inuyasha, you haven't answered my earlier question!"

The hanyou furrowed his dark brows. "What is it?"

"Why were the demon puppets sent after me different from the ones you fought?"

It took a while for Inuyasha to respond--hell, he didn't even respond at all. The confused miko shifted onto her side to have a better look at the hanyou, who was gazing up at the ceiling as if it was the most entertaining spectacle in the world. Though, the scowl marring his handsome face revealed that it wasn't as entertaining as it seemed...

"Hellooo, is anybody in there?" She wondered why he had suddenly grown quiet, like he didn't want to talk about those demon puppets or about anything that had recently transpired. But she needed answers! It was all too strange, and if she was going to be attacked like that for her blood in the future again, then she might as well be prepared, right? "Inuyasha..."

"Those two bastards who went after you and Rin...aren't demon puppets." His tone of voice was deadpan, almost to the point of being completely emotionless. _This topic must be...hard for him to speak about._ Or that was what Kagome believed.

However... "If they're not puppets, then what are they?" _Duh, what else would they be, Kags? Demon--_

"My cousins."

What?! Did she hear him correctly?! His cousins?! "No way! Y-Your cousins...?! W-Why would they...but they're...huh?!"

He sighed and glided a clawed hand over his haggard face. "They're the twin sons of my father's older brother. We all hate each other, though--it's one thing Sesshoumaru and I have in common. The demon puppets we--Sesshoumaru and I--faced were made from their likeness. And before you ask, their master is my uncle."

"Why would they want our blood? And how does your uncle know me?" Kagome was walking through a maze that apparently had no exits--she just couldn't understand any of this! _What does our blood have to do with Inuyasha's family? Is there something special about it? Are they going to sell it for money? _

"I have no idea--the only thing I know is that my uncle wants not only yours and Rin's blood, but mine and Sesshoumaru's, too. You're not the only one who was stabbed with the Blood Dagger. Keh, and let's assume he knows you the same way your mother knows me."

_That's understandable,_ Kagome mentally sighed, _since I wouldn't remember ever meeting him in the first place. And supposedly, I'm able to travel between the realms. It still doesn't explain how they know Rin, though..._

Oh well! No use in losing sleep over it!

"Inuyasha..."

The hanyou anticipated what was going to come with the tone his fiancée started in. It was either going to be a question...or she was going to nag him again. "What the hell is it?!"

He didn't like the frown on the miko's face as her chocolate eyes traveled from his torso and up, not that she could see much in the dark like he could. But he instantly knew what she was looking for, anyway...and her response only backed his evidence. "Are you sure you're going to be ok? I mean, do you need any aspirin? With those injuries, you must be in some kind of pain, right?"

"You shouldn't worry about me, wench." Inuyasha suppressed the urge to laugh. "It's all wasted on a hanyou. I'll be completely healed by tomorrow morning, you'll see." She just couldn't understand the fact that his body was made differently than hers--these meager cuts hardly affected him. Sure, he felt a little bit of pain...but he wasn't going to tell her that; it would just lure him deeper into a black hole...

Kagome shut her eyes, willing images of her fiancé fighting two of those demon puppets with morphed limbs out of her mind. The way those fiends overwhelmed him, rendered his sword practically useless...heck, how couldn't she worry about him, especially when she hadn't even seen the climax of the fight? The last thing she remembered seeing was that both Inuyasha and Sesshoumaru were becoming tired--but what occurred afterwards?

_Why am I worrying about an idiot like him in the first place? He's been nothing but rude to me and a great pain in the ass. _She soon sighed, yielding to her raging emotions. _Still, it's like a part of me wants to protect him. A part of me that I never knew I had. A part of me that...that--_ "W-Wha...? I-Inu--what are you d-doing...?"

Her eyes immediately bolted open, and the first thing she saw was a pair of beautiful, soft golden amber eyes that glowed amongst the silken sheets of darkness enclosed around them. She didn't know how it happened or when; the only thing Kagome registered, or could _even_ register was the warmth of a body over hers--a body that her own more or less welcomed. His long silver tresses fell all around her head, lying on top of her raven locks, while his head leaned in close to hers, enough so that their breaths tangled into one. She innocently gazed up at him, wondering why her heart was loudly thundering against her rib cage at the tender look she was met with.

Inuyasha smiled, and gently pressed his nose against one of Kagome's flushed cheeks, taking the chance to nuzzle her soft creamy skin. "Thank you," he whispered, his lips touching her cheek as they parted to speak, "thank for you worrying about me, Kagome."

She blinked repeatedly, attempting to comprehend what was currently happening. _He's thanking me...for worrying about him? But I...I, uh..._ "I-It's nothing, really..." Damn, that sounded so lame! This was a once in a lifetime moment with none other than the infamous hot-headed Inuyasha! Heck, she doubted this would ever happen again--and all she could say was that?! _What's wrong with me? I feel like a school girl with a crush..._

Wait--she _was_ a school girl with a crush...

Inuyasha lifted his head from her cheek, but he was merely a hairsbreadth away from his fiancée. "Kagome..." His voice was much softer than normal--it wasn't gruff and contained no traces of annoyance. _Did Inuyasha's cousins clone him so quickly? And why's he staring at me like that?_

The miko wanted to desperately know what was going on through his head at the moment...yet, she could hardly guess because of his mesmerizing eyes, which were staring deeply into hers, almost as if he was reading her soul. The perfect golden meld of his irises seemed like a smooth paste of sweet honey compared to their usual brazen pit of vibrant flame--and it entranced her. No other thought could pass through her mind when she was actively searching his eyes for more of the warmth and tenderness she craved--and it was all for her; that was the best part.

It was all aimed towards _her_.

So, it was only natural that the deeper they stared at each other, the smaller the distance between them became. It was only natural that they should feel each other's wanton desire, the same desire that radiated in the depths of their eyes. It was only natural that their lips should meet to seal each other's affections, and the attraction that they shared--the same attraction that could no longer be denied, even regarding the short time they've truly known each other.

And it was only natural that they were interrupted...

_Creeaak!_

**"KYAA!" **_**POW!**_

_**THUD!**_** "OWW! DAMMIT WENCH!!" **

"Hn...you'd think that after having a near death experience, you two wouldn't be so..._lively_..."

It seemed that the gods were against Inuyasha and Kagome--well, mainly Inuyasha because he was the one still rolling on the floor while groaning in pain--especially when Sesshoumaru ever so impassively barged into their room...without knocking. His intrusion had surprised the raven-haired miko, who in response kicked the person on top of her away; unfortunately, she had hidden strength and great precision since she happened to kick the hanyou in a certain _sensitive_ area...Sesshoumaru only smirked at his younger brother's pained form, sadistically enjoying his inferior's suffering while Kagome meekly peered over the edge of the bed.

"What in the **fuck **is **wrong** with you, bastard?! Did you lose so much damn blood that you forgot to fucking **knock** before you enter a room?!" Inuyasha growled and finally stood on shaky limbs, willing himself not to think of the throbbing pain between his legs. _Damn, Kagome kicks hard! _He would think twice before ever being on top again...

The silver-haired immortal coolly rolled his eyes. "Half-breed, that was something called revenge. Remember how you two intruded on me yesterday?" The couple remained silent. "Exactly. Now, the reason why I'm here is to inform you that I will be taking Rin to the nearest hospital--"

"Is she alright? How is she? Did she wake up at all? Does she have a fever?" Kagome kept asking question after question, so much that Sesshoumaru lost track of them after the first two...not that he was trying to keep track anyway. "Is she hurt anywhere else? Did she--"

"Enough, miko. If you would let me finish, you would already know her condition."

"Keh! You could try being a bit nicer--she's only worried about her friend," Inuyasha grumbled after climbing into his side of the bed, noticeably far from Kagome. His brother observed the blush on his face, even in the darkness, and had to comment on it.

"You could try being a bit bolder, little brother--that blush on your face is unbecoming of you. Oh, and a word of advice: don't wait five minutes to kiss her, it only allows time for interruptions." He impishly smirked at the look of horror on not only Inuyasha's face, but his fiancée's as well. Ah, he loved being a sadist.

"You're a real shithead, bastard! At least I'm not the one who thinks with his--"

"Ok, you guys, you can have your cock fight later when I'm not present. I just want to know why Rin has to go to the hospital." Kagome firmly interrupted the dog demons' brewing argument with a statement neither of them could ignore. And cock fight, come on, what was that? It was...embarrassing, to say the least. Err...maybe.

Anyway... Sesshoumaru resisted the urge to rub his aching temples. "Her body is weakening due to blood loss. I believe she needs a blood transfusion."

The miko gasped as Inuyasha gaped. "Is it that bad? Well, what are you waiting for? Let's go!"

"Neither of you are going." Well, that ruined everything.

Kagome blinked and raised both of her eye brows incredulously. "You're going by yourself? But why?"

"There is no need for you to tag along. I will take Rin to the hospital, demand that she get a blood transfusion, and bring her back here. We should both be back by morning." He sounded so sure of himself, too. The teenager doubted that his plan would work out the way he wanted--doctors were a little iffy about letting their patients go home so soon, especially after something like a blood transfusion.

Inuyasha didn't care either way--he just wanted some sleep. "Why even bother with all that crap? Just take her as your ma--"

"Shut up and never say such foolish things to me again." The hanyou cocked his head at the animosity laced behind his brother's smooth voice. Why would he get so angry after hearing a mere casual suggestion? _It's not like he's not going to do it when he marries her...why wouldn't he? He can't be planning to...but he has to!_

Sesshoumaru has to...what?

"Uhh...I guess when you put it that way, I don't have to go...but are you sure you'll be back by morning? What if the doctors want Rin to stay longer?" Kagome was still pondering the fact that the immortal believed that he could barge in somewhere, demand this and that, and expect it to be taken care of.

"Yes, and if they do, then they will have to answer to me." Yes, yes! The cynical smile came back with vengeance! Long live the sadist!

Now effectively chilled to the bone, the teen just nervously nodded. "A-Alright, good luck."

"Keh." Inuyasha was still offended from Sesshoumaru's former biting remark. He could not understand his older half-brother, _even_ if it would save his life. The bastard was a complete mystery that if written a book about, it would take a thousand pages for only the first chapter.

"Hn." With that, Sesshoumaru turned around and left the room to retrieve his fiancée.

"Good night, Inuyasha." The miko sighed and laid back onto her pillow, hoping that now she could get some well-deserved rest. Inuyasha followed her example before letting out a tongue-curling yawn. He soon remembered what he had been doing with Kagome before his stupid brother walked in like he owned the world...and crap, he had just gotten rid of his blush! It came back to haunt him!

Uhh...it's sleepy time! "G'night, Kagome."

It did, however, bother him that he hadn't been able to even kiss her. Wasn't it humiliating that stupid-ass Sesshoumaru already got past first base with Rin? He, a prince of two kingdoms with the rank of a hanyou god, couldn't let the arrogant immortal win in anything, right?

Inuyasha smirked as he glanced at a dozing Kagome out of the corners of his eyes. _Then I'll just have to take care of that._

* * *

**A/N: AND IT'S A RAP! I mean WRAP! Or whatever. Next time: it's the first day of school for our two favorite couples! Yes, we're skipping Sunday--so, what mishaps will ensue, hmm? Remember that Kagome has two admirers, so you** **know what that means...Muahahaha!**

**Anywho...will we ever find out more about these blood stealing, sexy twin cousins of Inu and Sessh? Why do their master/father need blood? Will Inu and Kags ever get to kiss without Sessh interrupting? Will the gnomes in Rin's mind tell her the answers to her upcoming test? STAY TUNED TO FIND OUT!**

**DONT FORGET TO REVIEW! IT ONLY TAKES TWO SECONDS! AND REMEMBER TO THANK MY BETA READER KINKATIA!!**

**SEE YA LATER!**


	8. A Bond of Mates

**A/N: And here's chapter eight! WOOT! PRAISE...umm...INSPIRATIONAL ROCK MUSIC!! THANKS KINKATIA! HAPPY FOURTH OF JULY EVERYONE!!! :-D**

**ENJOY THE CHAPPIE!!! And I own Kurayami's Blade! As well as Meimori, Kizurei, and their father! Oh, and the Blood Daggers! And Imei Academy...and...um...damn that's pretty much it.**

* * *

**Oh My Gods! 8**

* * *

"Father, we have returned."

His icy silver eyes seemed to smile in the cloak of darkness surrounding him, the darkness induced by the black velvet drapes shielding the floor-to-ceiling windows in his throne room. He looked towards where the deep voice had come from in front of him and stared down at his eldest son, the only one of his heirs who had inherited his rare eye color. Then he held a gaze with his youngest twin son, all the while not showing any traces of emotion whatsoever.

The twins were on their knees in respect to their master, and for a moment, he felt great pride well up in his chest. Perhaps it was for himself; after all, he did control numerous tracts of land and was a renowned demon ruler throughout the immortal realm. Or maybe it was because he sired such obedient--and strong--sons who would be great rulers in the near future.

And better yet, they had not failed their mission.

The dog demon prince then shifted his cold eyes to analyze the four ruby daggers laid out horizontally before his gilded throne. He could smell the unpleasant odor of coppery blood among the blades, but the four familiar yet distinct scents that surrounded the daggers curved his lips upward in smile of victory. Yes, his sons truly had accomplished their mission.

"Were the demon puppets effective?" His voice seemed like a soft, deep rumble--it definitely was not loud because he hardly had to raise his voice from a mere whisper. It was nice to have that kind of control when he spoke to others.

"Yes, master. The four of them distracted the princes while we went after the princesses." He curiously watched his eldest son as his youngest spoke, wondering why the pup had a rather smug smirk on his face. He knew that the whelp had a strange sort of rivalry with his slightly younger cousin...it was no doubt that he had finally bested his deceased brother's first born in something or the other.

Hopefully it was far from what he was thinking...

"I see." His clawed hand moved to rest on his cheek, right above the Prussian blue jagged stripe that ran across it. Long silver tresses of his silken hair leaned onto the right side of the silver and gold throne while his eyes never left his two sons. The smile in his cold eyes had yet to die down, as well. "Then they're all residing in the mortal realm, correct?"

His eldest son, Meimori, nodded. "We sent the demon puppets to do a little spying in our place. The information they related is the same as in the late Lady of the Western Land's journal."

"Both Prince Sesshoumaru and Prince Inuyasha have met with their future princesses. However, it seems that Princess Kagome has a special connection with my little hanyou cousin." The lavender-eyed dog demon had not been fooled at all--yes, he was less skilled than his older brother, but unlike him, he observed things carefully. How had the miko known of their attack? She had been sleeping only moments before they arrived, and suddenly she bolted up and rushed to tell her friend of the 'news'. Such a thing was impossible...unless...

His father's eyes narrowed into slits. "Are you trying to say that _it_ is true, then? What my brother's late mate had said about her visions--you say that the 'time' has come?" _A connection, hm? A bond of sorts. It is as expected; the hanyou and miko _were_ actually very close, surprisingly._ He received his answer when Kizurei inclined his head.

"But there is a problem, father," Meimori began, "Prince Sesshoumaru and Princess Rin do not have that connection, and in order for the time Lady Izayoi foresaw to truly come, they _must_ have that special bond. I believe my cousin is...holding back as usual, and _my_ fair lady only keeps getting hurt by his apathy." The accent on 'my fair lady' did not go unnoticed by the others--neither did the small smile that reached his lips as a tag note to his statement.

_Of course, there is always something to disrupt my plans. And if I'm not careful, Meimori will as well._ The long silver-haired master sighed. He learned of the whelp's...mishaps during his mission and hoped that his nephew would learn some mercy while he was amongst mortals. "It's the same as when romantic feelings between them first arose, I suppose. This does pose a problem, and as with all problems, we must turn them in our favor."

"And we can't use the blood we've collected until they _all_ reestablish their bond of mates," Kizurei stated while briefly glancing at the daggers. _We did all of that work for nothing...? Gods, why can't Sesshoumaru be more like his brother? At least the hanyou is already close to his miko without even realizing it._

Meimori agreed with his brother and commented, "True. So we have to come up with a plan."

Silence ensued as the three dog demons contemplated a course of action that would rectify their recent dilemma. The twin brothers were no longer on their knees bowing in respect; instead, they stood and sat on one of the black marble steps of their master's dais. At last, an idea brightened a certain dark-haired demon's expression, and he turned slightly to glance at his father as a delighted--though somehow appearing evil--grin gradually formed on his handsome face.

"I know what will finally have that damn Sesshoumaru on his heels, as well as wanting to drag me into a killing field..." The fact that he dropped the honorific title to his cousin's name spoke volumes--_every_ one was supposed to address royalty appropriately, _especially_ if he or she was in a lower rank, no matter the circumstances.

"What do you have in mind, brother?" Kizurei was almost afraid to ask about his conniving sibling's plan. He recalled a past experience involving the well-known hatred and rivalry between the dark-haired demon and the future ruler of the Western-Eastern Empire...and the memory was all but pretty.

The evil grin was still firmly in place on Meimori's face as his father quietly observed him, all the while resisting the urge to smack some sense into his pup. _Yes, my sons may be skilled warriors and obedient heirs...but this one lacks a mind. Hm, perhaps I shouldn't have made him face his fears at such an early age...now he's too bold for his own good. _

"Sesshoumaru is being a stubborn, spoiled brat--am I not correct?" Meimori brushed back his charcoal black locks of hair as the other two demons nodded. "And he can never see what he has in front of him until it's taken away. So...I will do just that."

"You plan on seducing Princess Rin, don't you? Have you gone **insane**, Mei?! Not only would Prince Sesshoumaru kill you--maybe even Prince Inuyasha and his future mate will decide to depending on the severity--but you will ruin _everything_ we're working for! The time will _never_ come if **you** of all people interfere!" Kizurei was dumbfounded by his older brother's stupidity! Gods, he passed to the rank of a demon god with next to no effort, but when it came to issues needing mental assistance...well, to put it simply, there was none.

"He's right, though."

**"WHAT?!"** The lavender-eyed demon ignored the smug look his brother shot him and stared at his father and master, remorselessly thinking that the 'wise' older demon had finally lost his sense of good judgment. "Master, he will destroy our only hope of--"

"Son, Meimori's plan makes perfect sense and I trust that it will work." He still received a disbelieving stare. And the smile, as evil as his son's grin, returned into his eyes. "My brother's pup will commit the same mistake twice--we can't let that happen, now can we?"

"But--"

"Hush, Rei. I won't go _too_ far--I promise. I'll interfere enough so that Sesshoumaru can realize just what he is missing. The connection between him and my fair lady will strengthen once he stops being a stubborn mule instead of a bold dog, and _then_ it will be time to fulfill the prophecy..." Meimori had no doubt in his mind that his plan would work; however, the only dog demon with some kind of common sense in the throne room was about to suffer fits of spasms on the ground. Everything he was hearing was absurd!

_We're all going to die because of you, brother! Do you think I don't know you well enough to realize that your true intentions stray far from father's? _Kizurei shook his head and ceased his losing argument, nonetheless. _Unlike some people, apparently, I clearly remember what happened in the past involving Princess Rin and her mate... _

He nearly shuddered as he added, _And a certain someone else whose name will not be even thought of..._

"Now that the problem is temporarily settled, we need to focus on the hanyou and his miko. Are there any problems with them?" The demon prince was glad that he had changed the topic--the tension between his sons was starting to become stifling.

Kizurei refrained from rolling his eyes. "They act the same as always, father, and Prince Inuyasha is very protective--or should I say possessive--of his lady. The only thing Mei and I fear is _that_ certain human friend of Princess Kagome."

"Yes, that human bitch is quite annoying, and not even _I_ speak so foully of my 'dear' cousins. She has not changed at all since the last time we met." Meimori did what his brother didn't and rolled his eyes. Twice. His father found it distasteful, but decided to let it pass just this once.

"Does she seem to...remember?"

"No, yet her emotions are fueled from experiences she cannot recall. I am concerned as to whether or not Prince Inuyasha will accept the challenge she issued him--he _is _quite sensitive when it comes to things regarding his mate." Kizurei was positive that the human bitch--was her name Yumi...Yura...Yuka?--did not remember anything; she _couldn't_ remember anything. If she did, which was impossible anyway, it would mean the downfall of the immortal realm.

_And if you did accept her challenge, little cousin, it will be your downfall that comes first. All of our progress will be for naught._

"When I was looking through the eyes of the demon puppets, I found that they had witnessed an argument that bitch started with Princess Kagome about her fiancé. If she planted doubts into my princess's head, or even into my cousin's, then I shall kill her myself." _I may dislike my cousins, but _no one_ in this inuyoukai family is a lowlife. Human bitch, you will not get away with insulting my family. _The silver-eyed prince smirked.

His father pondered it for a moment before speaking again, "She is a troublesome nuisance--she will be dealt with promptly. Now, I have come to learn that the Prince of the Northern Lands also resides in the mortal realm. Have you seen him?"

Kizurei shook his head. "I have not, master, though it is only a matter of time before he meets his 'long lost love'. I did sense his aura in the academy Prince Inuyasha is in. Their meeting will not be a pretty one..."

"So not only will I have to hunt down a pesky human bitch, but a cocky wolf as well?" Meimori haggardly sighed. "_Hopefully_ the wolf learns his lesson quicker than last time..."

"Yes, hopefully." The dog demon prince sitting on the throne briefly shut his eyes. "Continuing, then. Since the connection between the hanyou and miko is strong, I believe that they are ready for the next step." The ruler of the Western Lands in the absence of the future king smirked, thinking about what the next step would be. So far, everything involving the half-breed his brother sired was going accordingly--for once.

"What is the next step, master?" His silver-eyed son nonchalantly asked as though he had never proposed an utterly foolish idea moments before. His twin brother fleetingly bristled at the demon's negligence.

His silver eyes matching the color of his luxurious hair glistened in the darkness. "What else will it be? A hanyou and miko will be tested. If their bond is as strong as you say, then they--or I should say _Inuyasha_--will overcome the trials easily. If not..." He abruptly trailed off, leaving his sons to figure out the rest of his sentence.

"If not...what?" Kizurei blinked repeatedly, feeling a little perplexed in response to his father's sudden grin that was a facsimile of the one Meimori had worn earlier--however, unlike the younger demon's, it was completely filled with malice.

"It should be..._obvious_."

Both brothers shared a confused glance.

Neither of them comprehended the underlying answer...

...but they would find out soon enough.

**

* * *

**

_...Dream state..._

An eight-year old hanyou repeatedly twitched his furry silver puppy dog ears, musing if he tried hard enough, he might be able to hear his father's heart beat, even with the long distance currently between them. He narrowed his golden amber eyes in concentration, and his small yet sharp fang poked over his bottom lip. His ears kept twitching incessantly, filtering through the sounds of pounding waves coming from the grand royal blue ocean to his right and happy birds chirping in the bright morning sky above him...and finally...

_...baddump...baddump...baddump..._

Yes! He did it! He heard his father's heart beat from over fifty yards away! The young hanyou grinned broadly, and puffed out his chest in pride. If he kept trying, he would one day become a great demon, just like his daddy, and then people wouldn't think of him as a mere half-breed. Heck, some day, even his older brother Sesshoumaru would be so proud of him that he'll finally get that little bit of praise he'd been vying for ever since he started walking!

Soon enough, however, his excitement deflated. He curiously stared at his father's immobile form yards in front of him, and he cocked his head in confusion. _Why am I here? Why did Dad wake me up so early only to come near the sea and stand around like seagulls? _He glared at a certain seagull standing beside him, the stupid bird that had dared to peck at his puppy ears.

_Multiple_ times.

"Inuyasha, come closer." Even though his father didn't look back at him, or move for the matter, he grinned once more and obliged.

"Yes, Dad!" _Finally! I wonder what we're gonna do now? Are we gonna train some more? Is he going to..._-gasp-_...going to give me Tetsusaiga?! _The silver-haired little boy nearly ran towards his father in anticipation. The look of complete admiration and happiness that crossed his cherubic face was...adorable to his father.

"We've come here today because I would like to speak to you--" The older demon was interrupted by his youngest son's bubbling delight.

"--about Tetsusaiga, right?" Innocence glistened in his big, round golden eyes the color of the morning sun slowly reaching to hang high in the sky.

His father blinked, but then let out a hearty chuckle. "As a matter of fact, yes, we are. But not because I will give it to you _now_, son. I said you will have it when you at least turn fifteen in human years."

Inuyasha pouted. "But I'm ready now! See, I'm strong!" He abruptly turned around and faced the 'certain' seagull, which had followed him to his father's side. "Iron reaver soul stealer!"

The seagull had time to sidestep the attack.

Both father and son sweat-dropped. "Ok...maybe not. You never saw that, Dad." InuTaishou shook his head and hid an amused smile from his disgruntled pup.

"Listen carefully, pup. This is very important information that you will need to know for your future...if you want to stay alive to see it." The hanyou perked his ears at the endnote of his father's sentence; of course, anything that alluded to death caught his attention. "I already had this conversation with Sesshoumaru yesterday regarding the Tenseiga."

"He hates that sword; he said that he don't want you to give it to him."

"Now he doesn't hate it, or it will cost him his life."

Inuyasha's eyes widened in awe, seeing his brother's sword--the poor thing had been called useless many times by the elder demon--in a new light. The King of Makai merely continued. "Before I say anything more, what are Tetsusaiga's forms?"

"Oooh, I know! The ratty piece of junk that can't cut paper and the other is the humungous fang looking one that can do Wind Scar! Grr, Wind Scar! Swoosh!" His father fleetingly mused if his son could be anymore enthusiastic as the boy pranced around performing an invisible attack on the confused giant white seagulls.

"Um...very good, son. But you missed a form." The hanyou stopped in mid attack and stood ramrod still, staring expectantly at his father without even blinking. Now _that_ was devotion. "The last form Tetsusaiga can take is called the Yami no Tetsusaiga, or better known as Kurayami's Blade."

"Ahhh...Kurayami's Blade..." Inuyasha was so amazed by the cool name that his father had to bite down his laughter. Izayoi was right--his son was too cute! Ahem, _sometimes_.

"It looks like a scythe. You do know what that is right?" The little boy nodded, and his father cut in before he got another explanation along with a 'demonstration'. "Good, then! Now, imagine a regular farmer's scythe. In your mind, make the blade much longer, thicker and jagged like the stripes on my cheeks. Increase the height to stand taller than me, and curve the handle so that there is a groove where the grip is."

"What color is the handle? Is it still black? Are there any designs on it? Does it say 'Kurayami's Blade' anywhere?" Inuyasha tilted his head to one side curiously.

"Ah...don't worry so much about details, son. Anyway, that is how the last form of Tetsusaiga looks like...and it is a dangerous form."

"Is that why I've never seen it before?"

InuTaishou nodded. "Inuyasha, what I want you to understand is that one day you have to use that form of Tetsusaiga, and you need to be prepared."

The little hanyou grinned. "Prepared to fight demons, right? Go Tetsusaiga! **GOOO!"**

"There, there, pup--calm down." His son instantly deflated and devoted himself once more. The tired father sighed, raking a hand through his silvery white hair. "And the only demon I'm worried about you fighting is your inner one."

"My...inner one?" The boy was baffled. Sure, he was a hanyou, but what inner demon did he have? Why would his father be so worried about that? The look on the king's face was deadpan--he was actually being _serious_. He watched as his father sighed again and kneeled before him, placing a large clawed hand on his small shoulder.

"Every demon has an inner youkai, but you as a hanyou will only experience such a thing when you reach adolescence. Your inner youkai, in respect, will help you with..._decisions_, especially when it involves your mate." Inuyasha blinked, yet nodded.

His father continued. "Your inner youkai will be with you for the rest of your life-- helping you, guiding you, providing the instinct you need as a dog demon. However...some things don't go well with it...and you, my son, will have to face the consequences."

"Like what? What don't go well with it? What consequences?" Inuyasha was getting a little frightened now. "Will my inner youkai...kill me?" The lack of response increased his terror. "Dad! It's gonna kill me?!"

"_-sigh-_ Not the way you think it will. Listen, certain youki feed other youki. Kurayami's Blade has a distinct youki to Tetsusaiga's normal one. In simple terms--it is evil. Right now, you're balanced--demon, human, and immortal wise--which means that your youki is also balanced. The kind of youki the blade produces will have a bad effect on your own youki, and that will increase your demonic power--"

"Isn't that a good thing?" Obviously, Inuyasha was trying to find the pros of acquiring such a dangerous sword. "I'll become a full youkai, right? I'll be like Daddy and Sesshou! Rawr! Big Dog Demon Form! Taste my poison, you worthless demon!" The last line was an actual quote from his big brother...

His father briefly shut his eyes and clenched his hands into fists. The young boy was too excited ranting about nonsense to notice that the older demon was becoming annoyed. "Inuyasha..."

"Ha! You're no match for me, lowlife! Just look at my prettier fur cape!"

"Son..." His golden eyes were covered by his silver bangs--that wasn't a good sign.

"You think you can outrun my super--"

"Inuyasha...can you _please _be** QUIET **and **LISTEN?!"**

The hanyou eeped and faced his father with wide eyes filled with fright. Usually he wasn't yelled at for his...babbling...why was his Dad so angry? _Am I gonna get punished now? _He felt like crying just thinking about it. _Mommy's gonna be disappointed in me again._

His ears drooped as he suppressed a whine. "Sorry, Daddy..."

InuTaishou's face appeared to be made of stone at the moment, so he wasn't going to fall for his son's puppy expression. Now his pup knew where Sesshoumaru inherited his intimidating stares..."I know you are young, son, but this is important! No, you will _not_ become a full demon--and _stop_ wishing for it. Your balance will be tipped in the favor of your demonic power, and that will increase the demands of your inner youkai."

"...huh?" What was his father talking about?

The dog demon king foresaw such a response. "Your own inner youkai will drive you to insanity so long as the Yami no Tetsusaiga is feeding foul demonic energy into your youki. It'll be so bad to the point that not only will you be driven to hurt other people, you will become so insane that your own youkai will drive you to commit suicide."

Inuyasha blinked. "Dad...what's sooside?"

"I'll tell you when you're older, pup." He knew he wouldn't get it. Everything he just said probably went in one ear and out the other. "Now, pay close attention. There is a way to prevent any of that from happening, and that is by having a bond of mates."

"What's that?"

"It's when you and another person, a female hopefully, have a connection so strong that she will be able to sense when you are in danger--either physically, or mentally. Only your mate can give you the strength you need to overcome your inner youkai and in the end control Kurayami's Blade in order to use its ultimate power." InuTaishou finally allowed himself to smile at his son's pensive expression. Really, Sesshoumaru was much easier to talk seriously with. Although...he believed his eleven-year old pup hardly cared in the first place...

"You mean like Kagome! You know, the other day when she went to go talk to Mommy in the palace, I was still in the forest and I fell off a cliff and she knew it happened without being there and she came running and she brought Sesshou and he saved me and then Rin came and she laughed at me and--"

"Son, what did I tell you about rambling?" Inuyasha sighed once he caught himself and apologized again. "It's alright. Hmm...that _does_ sound like the bond of mates, but she is too young to be your mate. Perhaps she is destined to be your future mate...Wait--do you even _know_ what mates are?" The hanyou shook his head. "I should've known...Either way, the only reason why _I_ can stand the Yami no Tetsusaiga is because of my own mate."

"Who's your mate, Dad?"

The pup honestly didn't know? "You'll...find out when you're older." The hanyou only nodded in satisfaction with the answer. He couldn't wait to be older!

"Why did Totousai make an evil sword for you in the first place?" Now _that_ was a question that had been bugging the little boy for a while now.

The king smiled...somewhat ruefully, though his son failed in noting that. "He didn't, pup. The Tetsusaiga has a tendency of sometimes absorbing youkai powers. Kurayami...I fought him a long time ago and won." Regret shown in his eyes, but again, his son didn't know that.

"Oooh, ok! So, anyway, as long as I got Kagome with me, my inner youkai won't kill me, right? And Kurayami's Blade will make me the strongest hanyou in the entire immortal realm! Keh! I'll never die! No one can defeat me!"

InuTaishou thought long and hard about it while Inuyasha observed him intently. He cocked his head when he caught a strange glint in his father's golden amber eyes, a glint that made the exotic color of his irises shine brighter than even possible. It reminded him of that time his Mommy cried when his Dad got hurt...nah, that wasn't it. It couldn't be...

...no way! Impossible!

At last, the king responded, "Yes, pup, it won't kill you. And you'll be so strong that you'll defeat the evil that will come for you in the future..." Inuyasha furrowed his eye brows at that statement, but alas shrugged when he couldn't decipher the meaning. With another beaming grin on his face, the hanyou bounded off to imitate his father, only that now he pretended to already have the Yami no Tetsusaiga, while InuTaishou achingly watched him.

"Take this, you ugly bird! Yami no Tetsusaiga!"

The glint in his eyes shone brighter and brighter with each passing second...

"You call that fighting, seagull?! Bah, coward! Come and face Kurayami's Blade!"

...until he rubbed the glint away with the back of his hands.

"I can't believe...that I just lied to my own son...to both of my sons..."

_...Out of Dream state..._

**"Inuyasha! **Wake up!"

"W-Wha...?"

He groaned and rubbed his head while letting out a tongue curling yawn. After blinking a couple of times, he groggily stared Kagome, whose hand was still positioned on his shoulders from when she was rattling him. When he looked at her, he remembered the dream he had been having--no, it was a memory. A memory...he never knew he had.

_Kagome...I was talking about Kagome...and our bond. Even then, when we were eight, we had that kind of bond? _Inuyasha was utterly confused. It wasn't by any means possible! _And I mentioned Rin, too...I actually knew her as a kid? Where did that memory come from? _He was sure such a conversation between himself and his deceased father never happened.

_Perhaps._

It perplexed him, as he thought about the actual discussion. All the information his father didn't want him to forget--was it true? His inner demon, which was a nuisance at times, was going to cause his death if he wasn't careful? _Kurayami's Blade...I've never seen that kind of form of Tetsusaiga. _Maybe only half of his dream was a memory. _Yeah._Heh, heh. He wasn't going to die! No, that wasn't happening any time soon! And Kagome was just the wench he was forced to marry--she wasn't his mate or anything like that. Ha, his imagination had a way with tormenting him...right? It _was_ his imagination surfacing as he dreamed...it _had_ to be! Why did he relive _that _sudden memory, in the first place? It could've been the time his father was training him and he nearly drowned in the sea, or when his stupid older brother bit his ear because he wouldn't stop pulling on his hair...but no. It was _that _one. Why _that_ one?

Was his future...really damned? Had his father insinuated that he was...going to die no matter how hard he tried to survive?

And towards the end of it, before he was shaken awake...his younger self hadn't caught it, but his father had said...had whispered...had admitted that he lied. The honorable and all too powerful demon lord revered by almost everyone in the immortal realm, even after his death, had lied to his two sons. However, it was what his father had lied _about_ that bothered the hanyou. _Keh, he said he lied--what the hell does that mean? And...and was Dad...crying? No...he's never cried. Never. _

Still...

Thinking about his own inner youkai causing his death...

_If I handled 'Kurayami's Blade' or whatever the shit it is, would I really go insane? If all that foul youki increases my demonic power...would I really hurt my loved ones? Would I really...kill myself?_

...it was unsettling, to say the least.

"Inuyasha...are you ok?" It took the hanyou another few long seconds to remember that he was blankly staring at his raven haired fiancée like a zombie. He blinked and slowly nodded his head. _I'm alright...that dream means nothing. _He had a feeling, however, that there was one other important detail that he was forgetting...a detail hidden in a memory locked away in the depths of his mind. But what was it?

Kagome moved her right hand to cup Inuyasha's cheek, tilting his head back so that his golden eyes stared into hers. She knew, though, that they passed right through her. It would be a complete lie if she said concern wasn't worming into her heart. "Hey, you..."

Blank stare.

"If something's wrong, Inuyasha, you know you can tell me, right? I'll listen...heck, maybe I can even help you!" She smiled brightly while still cupping the hanyou's cheek, rubbing her thumb over his soft flesh reassuringly. The fact that the easily embarrassed and shy half-immortal had yet to react to her soothing touch intensified her worry.

_Did he have a bad dream or something? He was alright yesterday--a little overwhelmed, but alright. _Kagome recalled the hours she and Rin, who had been confined to bed by her fiancé--hey, he actually did get back by morning--had spent teaching Inuyasha material that he would need for his classes. His schedule had been sent as well, and as it turned out, due to her meddling mother, the miko was sharing all of her classes with the hanyou. _Well, at least I can keep an eye on him..._

But there had been nothing unusual about him yesterday...nothing at all.

"Kagome..." The teen blinked at the whisper her fiancé started in, and she was surprised at how..._lost_ he sounded, as though he was a confused child and desperately needed guidance. She didn't know what to do--what had changed in Inuyasha? What had caused him to wake up in a daze? And why did she feel her heart agonizing with his?

She smiled warmly, now taking both her hands to cup the hanyou's cheeks. She brought her face closer to his, leaning forward until both of their foreheads touched. "Whatever it is, Inuyasha, it'll be alright. You know why? Because you have people here for you. Whom you may ask?" She paused when she caught him closing his eyes, reveling in her sweet, caring touch. "Well, there's my mother, I think Souta's probably obsessed with you right about now...Gramps wont try to purify you again, not like he can anyway--oooh, and Rin definitely cares! I don't know about Sesshoumaru; he's an odd one..."

Kagome trailed off as Inuyasha wove his arms around her waist, drawing her onto his lap as he sat up on their bed. It momentarily bewildered her just how natural holding him like this felt...almost as if they had been closer than _this_ at some point...had they? A blush rose on her cheeks, her heart race increased, but other than that...she was calm. She felt safe. _And better yet_, the miko glanced down at the hanyou gradually coming out of his stupor with every word she spoke, _I feel...I feel..._

She couldn't even express it because the sentiment was so great.

"And Inuyasha," Kagome pulled away in order to gaze into his vibrant eyes, now staring _at_ her instead of _through_ her, "_I'm_ here for you. I'll...I'll always be here for you. No matter what."

_'I'm here for you...' _The sentence echoed through his mind, imbedding itself into his memory for...eternity, at most. _'I'll always be here for you....' _He found himself smiling along with his fiancé. _'No matter what.' _

Now he knew what his father meant, what his father had been trying to tell him when he had been too young to truly understand. A bond of mates. A woman who would be his source of strength and power. His mate. Inuyasha placed his hand on the back of Kagome's head and fleetingly lost himself in her transfixing gaze. The glittering swirls of chocolate that melded to form the irises of her eyes drew him in--why? Because he found his strength in them. Her concern for him. Her worry for him. They knew each other for a short amount of time...but it felt like a lifetime.

_My mate._ He understood his father and what his strange dream denoted. Perhaps not completely, but one aspect of that talk was clear to him. _Kagome...is my intended mate. _And that contented the hanyou; this time, he didn't fervently deny it--_why_ was put aside for the moment. The smile on his lips was profound, and for once, it actually _held_ true meaning. His mate. Gods, she was his mate.

Remnants of his dream disappeared with that fact. Their bond was already working to give him strength. He won't die. Not as long as he had Kagome. Even if his father had lied to him when he was eight, even if his role model had believed that he would not live through his obstacles, Inuyasha didn't mind. Why did he need to? So long as his mate had faith in his success, he paid no heed to anyone else. His golden eyes softened into a darker and sweeter amber with his thoughts.

"Inu..." Kagome wasn't even surprised when he inclined towards her, and using the hand that was on the back of her head, brought her body closer to him, enough so that...

...she closed her eyes and wrapped her arms around his neck...

...his grip on her waist tightened...

...and she then felt what had to be the best sensation in the world...

...his lips on hers.

Their kiss was chaste, as was their relationship. It was a mere brush of lips; a brush until she pressed him closer to her, wanting to feel the peculiar yet welcomed sense of contentment and serenity that she only felt with him by her side. Although they did nothing more than feel the other's silken lips, the pleasure that they felt was beyond that of even coupling--it was a passion solely received through the mutual connection neither of them could understand or deny.

Why? Because their tender kiss held more meaning than words could ever strive to describe. There was no lust between them--none of that wretched carnal hunger that would desperately claw at their hearts until they committed a deed they'd most likely regret. No. Lust was an evil that couldn't pass through the barrier of purity at the moment.

And _that_ was true affection.

What they felt for each other...was true affection.

However...

**"WHAT DO YOU MEAN I CAN'T GO TO CLASS?!"**

...the moment was alas ruined.

* * *

**A/N: PART TWO NEXT CHAPPIE! **


	9. Skillet of Doom

**A/N: This is shortened. The rest of the chapters from here on are shortened chapters.**

**

* * *

**

Oh My Gods! 9

* * *

"Please, please, please, **please! **I _have_ to go to class! **Please!"**

"No."

"Sesshoumaru! You _don't _understand! I _have_ to go!"

"Hn."

"I'll do _anything_ you want! Just _please_ let me go!"

"Go back to bed."

"Come on! My ten-page History report that took me all of Friday to finish is due in an hour and my crone of a teacher will take _fifteen_ points off if it's not handed in at the _beginning_ of class no matter what! I could be _dying_ and she won't care!"

"...so?"

"What do you mean 'so'?! It's my **grade!! **And I have a Calculus test today!"

"I can care less."

"Ok...then you won't mind if I just..."

"Rin...put that down..._now_."

"If you don't let me go to class, then I'll just have to resort to Plan B. Do you think anyone will find your body when I'm through with you?"

"..."

"Exactly."

"Alright, what the hell is going on--**WHAT THE FUCK?!?!"**

"Move, Inuyasha! I want to see--**AH! **R-Rin...w-we can talk about this! Just put _it_ down gently..."

Inuyasha and Kagome gaped at the scene before them--why was it that every time Rin and Sesshoumaru were left alone together, weird things happened? Or someone just happened to become psychotic...Either way, the two made sure to stay _very_ far away from a certain obsidian-haired teenager and her fiancé, who was torn in ignoring the younger woman in hopes that she would calm down on her own--or at least randomly faint--and running away to save his own life. Of course, _no one_ can protect themselves from...from...

...the Skillet of Doom...

Rin gripped the insanely large black skillet in her hands and aimed it towards her 'loving' and 'understanding' fiancé. Her cinnamon eyes contained a strange gleam in them, an evil gleam that promised death if things didn't go her way...She suddenly grinned like a child celebrating Christmas and shrugged her bare shoulders--she still hadn't changed into her uniform, not unlike the others, and was wearing a _new_ yellow tank top.

"If you don't want to die...then I suggest you let me go to class. Do we have a deal, my dearest Sesshoumaru?" That innocent grin on her pretty face was what scared the others to death. Kagome fleetingly praised her friend's Skillet of Doom, which apparently worked better miracles than her Slipper of Death while Inuyasha hoped against hope that his fiancée wouldn't get any ideas from his brother's crazy bitch.

He knew that it was too late, though.

The silver-haired dog demon standing a few feet in front of Rin regretted ever trying to make breakfast using nothing other than a skillet. _Note to self--keep Rin away from metal cookware..._ Why had he been making breakfast in the first place? _Damn cooking urges... _"Rin, listen to me. You had a blood transfusion yesterday. Your temperature was at 103 degrees Farenheight last night. Do you truly think you are fit to go to class, especially if you have a test?"

The teen blinked before answering without hesitation, "Yup!"

"I'm still not letting you go anywhere." _Hn, I might have to lock her inside our room and tie her to the bed incase she tries to escape...curse these stubborn humans. _Who was she to cause him all this trouble? All he was trying to do was a good deed, but _nooo_, she just _had_ to throw his kindness back at his face! In the form of a skillet...Gods, this was why he never cared for anyone other than himself...

Rin groaned. "But I really, _really_ have to! I promise the moment I start feeling dizzy I'll go to the nurse! Just _please_, Sessh--today is a _really_ important day and I can't miss it!"

"_Your_ important day means nothing to me."

"Idiot," Inuyasha muttered from his safe post behind the kitchen entrance, with Kagome standing beside him, occasionally peering into the room. "He should just let her go--it's not like that Meimori bastard is gonna come back for her." His older brother glared at him from across the kitchen after he mentioned their hated cousin's name.

"Hmm, he _does_ have a point. Rin was sick all day yesterday and she's still a little weak from the transfusion." Kagome put a finger to her chin as she thought of the pros and cons of her friend going to class. _Yes, grades are important, but isn't health even more so? _She would feel much better if the teen stayed in bed and rested instead of stressing out over her--well, _their_ Calculus test, _or_ her due History report.

"Kagome! I thought you were on my side!" Rin exclaimed, surprised that she had been abandoned by her fellow human being. _At least I have Inuyasha to support me... _She smiled at that--he could argue with her fiancé all day if need be...

"Sorry, Rin, but he's right!" The miko sheepishly replied, now regretting her decision once the skillet pointed in her direction. _Don't kill me, don't kill me, and once again--don't kill me! _

"Would you rather believe your intelligent friend--" Inuyasha snorted incredulously at Sesshoumaru's statement while Kagome grinned, "--or would you rather pay heed to my incompetent, worthless half-breed brother?"

"Hey, bastard! This 'incompetent, worthless half-breed' can kick your ass any day!" He was ignored for the most part.

"I don't care what _anyone_ says--I just want to complete my duties as a responsible student, keep my scholarship, and all in all have perfect attendance!"

"Go. Back. To. Bed. _Now_. ."

**BAAAM!!**

There went the skillet...

"Oh gods, please protect me from flying skillets, save me from psychotic bitches, and spare me the grief of a certain wench getting the same idea one day..." Inuyasha watched his fiancée out of the corners of his eyes; even if she had flinched when the oversized skillet banged into the wall, the stars in her eyes told him that she was anything but terrified like him... "On second thought...I think I'd just rather kill myself..."

Sesshoumaru's wide golden honey eyes gave away his shock. Sure, Rin had held a potentially _dangerous_ weapon in her hand, but he hadn't really expected her to...to throw it...at _him_. That...that monstrous thing had only been a _centimeter_ away from his head! He had _felt_ it grazing his long locks of silver hair! _Another note to self--erase former note. Refrain from purchasing any sort of cookware all together. I'll start fasting. _

The happy grin was back on her face, as though she hadn't just thrown a twenty-inch wide skillet at her fiancé, who was still thanking the gods that her aim wasn't perfect. Nevertheless, the 'gorgeous' dent on the creamy kitchen wall told every bystander just what would have happened if Rin _had_ perfect aim... "Am I going to class now?"

His fingers twitched. His eyes twitched. His hair twitched--wait, was that even possible? Who cared; it didn't change the fact that Sesshoumaru's pride was _not _going to be butchered by flying Skillets of Doom. He was _not_ going to bow down to a _mortal_, no less. Yes, he was _not_ going to succumb to the whim of a maniacal teenager. Twitch. Twitch.

He wasn't going to.

Twitch.

Nooo...

Twitch.

Damn her cocky grin!

Twitch.

"Like I said--I can care less." Yes, he managed to protect his pride and ego while still sounding like a demon god in control! Heh, as if a _mortal_ could be dominant to him. That idea was completely and utterly ludicrous. The immortal smirked in triumph at the disbelieving stare Rin shot him. He totally won this match. Ah, the joy of being a victor.

Inuyasha shook his head, "It's like the bastard _wants_ her to kill him."

"No kidding." Kagome could hardly speak past her shock. "Sesshoumaru is brave."

"Keh! I think you mean _stupid_. Damn asshole; he _does_ have shit for brains!"

"It's sad..." The three people in the kitchen--or close to the kitchen, whatever--paid close attention to the dark-haired teenager when she spoke barely above a pained whisper, "...it's really, really sad when a demon I've never even seen before cares more about me than my own fiancé. It's really sad..."

Sesshoumaru narrowed his eyes in contempt once he deduced the 'demon' she was referring to. She had _no_ right to speak of that bastard as if he was her long time lover or something! How _dare_ she even mention the asinine fool who should be burning in hell instead of roaming the immortal realm! "I did not ask your opinion. I believe I gave you an order, and I will not repeat myself again."

"An order, eh? Yeah...so after we're married, you're probably going to 'order' a divorce, right? I mean, you'll be king--what would you need a lowly human like me for?" Even as she said this, Rin's expression betrayed the raging emotions threatening to overcome her. She seemed carefree as ever, smiling and giggling as well, but inside...she was being torn in half. Her façade--and the words she was uttering--caused Inuyasha to gulp and suddenly pale.

Kagome furrowed her thin eye brows when she noticed the change in the hanyou. "Is something wrong with you, Inuyasha? You're not going to keel over and die, right? I already picked out your casket if you do..."

The half-immortal decided to ignore the whole 'casket' thing. "Shit, tell me she did not overhear _that_ conversation...oh fuck..."

"What conversation?" The miko was confused now. She glanced over at the couple in the kitchen, both facing each other, daring the other to continue a foolish argument. The smile on Rin's face was beyond forced, too, and Sesshoumaru looked like he wanted to kill someone. Not that it was something new for the immortal with the worst kind of temperament, though...she couldn't imagine how it would be if the dog demon was actually _allowed_ to kill people who aggravated him.

Inuyasha slowly turned his head to face his fiancée. "Well..."

_...Flashback to Last Night..._

It was about midnight and a certain someone had trouble sleeping. Of course, with all the new information overwhelming his brain at the moment, it was a miracle that he was still able to function properly. Nonetheless, Inuyasha headed to the kitchen for a late night snack that would hopefully ease his mental stress. Err...forget that, Sesshoumaru was already in the kitchen.

And was that tea he was preparing?

_What the hell?_ The hanyou blinked, standing by the kitchen entrance in complete shock since he was unable to move otherwise. _I never knew Sesshoumaru could do menial stuff like make tea. _He silently conceded that next time he watched Mrs. Higurashi prepare tea, he would _memorize_ the process--there was no way he was going to be bested by his brother in _anything_.

"Are you going to stand there staring at me with your mouth portraying a cave the entire night?" The immortal never even turn his head to glance at the younger demon.

Inuyasha kehed and entered the kitchen, stopping at the white refrigerator to search for a good snack; thank gods he and Kagome had gone grocery shopping earlier. However, he still watched as his brother cut up slices of peaches and gently dropped them into a boiling kettle of water. It amazed him that his lordly, 'I will never get my hands dirty with servant work' brother was making tea.

He found nothing appetizing in the fridge, so he moved to one of the kitchen cabinets. Once he decided to feast on ramen--it was food fit for a demon god--the silver-haired hanyou turned towards his brother and asked, "Is that tea for Rin?" He received a nod in response. "How's her fever?"

"Gradually decreasing."

He continued to watch Sesshoumaru prepare the peach tea, which he learned was a favorite of Rin's, and cocked his head in mild confusion and curiosity. His brother would never do this type of work at midnight, no less, for a mere human--his _inferior_. Someone who should be his _slave_ rather than his fiancée. And yet, here the young prince was, now mixing several sweet-smelling herbs into the floral kettle. Why was he doing this? For as long as the hanyou had known him, his brother would never...unless--no, he must have had ulterior motives...

"Is there something you'd like, half-breed?" Inuyasha scowled when he realized he had been openly staring at his half-brother for more than a few minutes.

"Keh! I just want to know something..."

Sesshoumaru shot him a passing glance. "What? You're wasting my time."

"Why are you doing this...for Rin, a human? Why are you taking care of her as if you actually give a damn?" It was true, though. The entire day, the older demon had spent his time tending to his fiancée's needs without any complaints; whether it was making her food, confining her to bed, checking her temperature--Sesshoumaru did it. It was so unlike him that his younger brother feared the end of the world was going to come soon.

"I do not have to explain myself to the likes of you." The immortal glared at his inferior before continuing to prepare Rin's tea. She needed it in order to take another aspirin that would hopefully lower her fever. Hmm...would she be hungry at this hour? Should he bring her some soda crackers? The doctor did say she would be intolerant of solid foods for a few days after her blood transfusion...

Inuyasha rolled his eyes. "Yeah, whatever. You don't have to lie, bastard; just say that you like her already."

"Like her? You must be insane."

"I'm right, though, aren't I?"

"The day I will like her is the day I will like you."

"..._do_ you like me?"

"...no comment."

"Even if you _don't_ like her," the hanyou began, leaning against the counter as he waited for his ramen's water to stop heating in the microwave thingy, "you're still taking care of her when she's sick. I won't stop bothering you until you tell me what your reason is."

"And why should you care?" Sesshoumaru countered once he closed the lid on the kettle to let the tea boil. "My affairs are none of your business--have I not made that clear?"

"Then I guess I'll have to go touch Rin again. I can already imagine what her female areas--"

"Father's will."

"Huh?" Inuyasha was confused. _What does the will have to do with him taking care of Rin? I'm sure Dad wasn't so dense as to believe that he'd actually give a shit about a mortal. _

"Are you truly so brainless? In order to attain my throne, I must marry Rin. If I do not marry Rin, then I do not get my throne. If Rin was to die before we married, would I get my throne?" That was the immortal's logic throughout this whole ordeal. So long as he told himself he was fussing over his fiancée to secure his throne, then he held no qualms and his pride was still intact. He would _not_ allow himself to feel any different. He did _not_ care. That's that. Yup.

How many more times would he have to tell himself that?

The hanyou finally understood what his brother was thinking and sighed in dismay. _Damn, now I can't make fun of him._ "I get it, asshole. So, if you only want her for your throne, what's gonna happen after that? Last night, you implied that you aren't going to mate her--is that true?"

Sesshoumaru suppressed the urge to laugh at his brother's stupidity. "As if I, a complete demon god with ultimate power, a birthright prince, would take a lowly mortal human as my mate. Listen, half-breed--my heirs will be _immortal_ purebloods. Don't forget that."

"Hmph. Either you're going to wait until she grows old and dies, or you're going to divorce her, right?"

"Precisely."

Inuyasha shook his head, pouring the seething hot cup of water into his bowl of ramen. It fascinated him how quick the noodles cooked, and it still managed to taste good! He then sighed and turned to leave the kitchen. The hanyou was too busy inhaling his cup of ramen to notice the scent of lilies and salt water in the hallway...

_...End Flashback..._

"Oooooh, Sesshoumaru's in for it now..." Kagome's expression blanked at the new found revelation. She wondered what Rin was thinking in that pretty little head of hers...she couldn't imagine how it felt to overhear her own fiancé saying that he only wanted her for his throne. Sure, it's not like there was any love between them, but...the words still hurt, didn't they? It still hurt immensely that her fiancé was only waiting for the day she died or divorced him to get rid of her.

_Some guys are assholes,_ the miko mentally sighed, glancing at the hanyou beside her, who was intensely observing Sesshoumaru and Rin's staring match, _and if he turns out to be one, well, Rin's not the only one who's going to be throwing cookware... _She smiled, somewhat evilly, at the thought of throwing a giant pot at her fiancé. _He looks so cute when he's scared! _Can anyone say psychotic?

Sesshoumaru suddenly called back his malicious smile, and the sadist in him reawakened. So what if she had heard him last night? Did he care? No. "Ah, so you admit to being an eavesdropper. Did you like what you overheard? It's the truth."

Rin's impassiveness remained--hell, she even threw in a giggle for the heck of it. "Of course, silly! You never lie--and who am I to go against your 'orders'? I can't wait until we're divorced! You know why? Because after we get divorced, I'll have someone waiting for me."

_What?!_ The immortal tried **very** hard not to let possessive fury melt his icy indifference. _Who the hell would take what belongs to me? He won't be waiting after I hunt him down... _Err, he did not just think that. "Hn, I applaud you, then." _Grr, wait until I get my hands on--_

"Thanks, but you should be applauding him since he's your cousin."

Inuyasha fought the grin that desperately wanted to curve his lips. He tried, he really did try to will it back, but nothing worked, and so, he grinned. _Widely_. "Yes, finally someone's challenging him and winning! Ow! What was that for, wench?!"

Kagome shook her head and elbowed him again for good measure. "You're such a jerk! Shoot, I knew I never should've told her that Meimori was your cousin!" _I don't think I should've said that out loud, either... _She gulped at the death glare being sent her way by her future brother-in-law...if she could live to ever call him that...

"Keh." The hanyou just hoped he wouldn't be caught in the middle of the feud that would soon ignite...

Sesshoumaru directed his gaze back at his smug fiancée. It took all that he had not to pull her into his arms and kiss the life out of her--damn, the fact that she was going against him in _anything_ made her all the more appealing. Unlike other humans, she didn't show fear for him, nor did she scramble to please him every second of the day. Gods, if he ever wanted a human mate, she would be his first choice.

The teen did, however, issue him a challenge, and he gladly accepted. Who knew humans were so bold? "My cousin, huh? The same bastard who nearly took your life?"

Rin grinned. "You got it, sir! Since you took so long to join us, we chit-chatted a little. And now I know that what he said is true. I _am_ being wasted on someone who doesn't desire me when I can be with a guy who thinks I'm beautiful--a guy who actually _cares_ about me."

_So not only does he kiss her, he calls her beautiful as well? _He was going to annihilate Meimori... "Are you blind? He does not care for you--he merely wanted your blood!"

It was very hard to keep the growl out of his smooth voice, but, in the end, he still sounded beyond furious. He was not going to be bested by this vexing human bitch and his insufferable cousin! _And gods damn my annoying brother--let that wretched fool choke in his laughter and die already!_

"Are you jealous, sir? You can have all the pureblood heirs you want; I don't care--I bet your mate will be the hugest whore alive either way. But me? I'll be happy with Meimori because he actually cares about me. And our hanyou, yes, _hanyou_ children will have his mesmerizing eyes, and they'll be much stronger than your _purebloods_ any day. I can see it now; Meimori and I will be together for eternity! Meimori--"

"Enough! Do _not_ mention his name to me again. Do you understand?" His voice was so cold that it chilled everyone right down to their bones...well, everyone but a happy-go-lucky Rin. She stared her fiancé in the eye with no fear clouding her mind. She took a step towards him, and mustered up her most innocent smile.

"Why, sir? Because you know it's true? When _Meimori _pulled me close to him, I saw something sad in his eyes that...that confused me. But I understand it now. And when he kissed me, there was a passion there that confused me. But I understand it now. Meimori desires me. Meimori wants to be the person I marry. _Meimori_--"

"I said enough! You will _never_ be his because you are only _mine_."

Inuyasha and Kagome gawked again in unison at what was occurring in front of them right about now. Not only did it happen in a split second, but it shocked the hanyou so much that he felt like he might pass out and slip into a coma...for the rest of his half-immortal life. Meanwhile, Kagome just wondered how Sesshoumaru could be so possessive over someone he had deemed a 'lowly mortal human'.

Apparently...since Rin wouldn't stop talking dreamily about his hated cousin, the dog demon took the initiative to shut her up and...well...he ended up grabbing her by the arms and forcing a bruising kiss on her lips. No matter how hard she tried to break free from him, she just couldn't fight his strength and what her heart secretly wanted. Soon enough, Rin yielded to her fiancé's attentions and once again found her hands fisted in his long silver hair...while his hands roamed, again...yeah... Was there a reason why she was being kissed much more often the past few days than in her whole life?

Anyway...

A certain hanyou and miko watched the couple aggressively make-out for five minutes.

The certain hanyou wondered if he was going to be able to eat in the kitchen anymore...

The certain miko stopped watching and tried to remember what she was forgetting...

At last, Sesshoumaru pulled away from Rin to allow her to breathe, and inwardly smirked. Her face was cutely flushed and she was gasping for air--he bet _Meimori_ couldn't cause such a reaction from her. But he stopped thinking about that asshole before he got angry again and actually laid _permanent_ claim on his fiancée...

However...

**SLAP!**

"Holy mother fucking shit!! Did you see that, Kagome?! That was fucking awesome! **GO RIN!"**

"_Wow_...oh my gods...and another wow..."

Sesshoumaru slowly raised a clawed hand to press against his aching cheek, which felt abnormally warm and sore. Of course...he had just been slapped, by none other than a _human_. He stared down at the panting--and angry--teen, whose blazing cinnamon eyes suddenly became warm and happy again. The beaming grin was back on her face, but he could care less about that--he had just been slapped! SLAPPED!

Rin flexed her right hand, smiling innocently as if she hadn't recently _hit_ a demon god. She really had to stop being so bold around demons that could kill her... "Whoops! I am _so_ sorry, Sesshoumaru! I didn't _mean_ that! It was a _mistake_." Inuyasha was heard whooping from the other side of the kitchen, taking pleasure in the shocked expression on his brother's face.

"Rin--" She cut him off with a wave of her hand, and turned to leave the kitchen. Though, before she completely stepped out of the room--Inuyasha and Kagome immediately made way for the obviously pissed off seventeen-year old--she looked back at her fiancé from over her shoulder and tilted her head in a way that made her seem...devilish.

Yup, Rin could be more of a sadist than Sesshoumaru could ever strive to be.

"I assure you, that it will _not_ occur again." Ah, she loved how he paled at her drawling out his quote, giving it the effect of poisonous venom. "Now, I'm going to get ready for class or I'll be late." And without another word, the teenager walked out of the kitchen. It was only then that Kagome remembered what she had been forgetting--school was today, but fortunately, they all still had about forty-five minutes to make the first bell.

Inuyasha stared after Rin's retreating form and faced his brother, who hadn't moved from his place in the center of the kitchen, still holding his rouged cheek. Yet, it was the curve of his lips that scared him... "Hey, what the hell are you smiling about?! You just got slapped!"

Kagome nodded in agreement. "If I were you, I'd be finding ways to apologize. Trust me; Rin isn't really nice when she's angry." Both of their comments were ignored. The two continued to stare at the immortal, waiting for some sign of life from him. Had he suddenly suffered a very bizarre and random heart attack? Did his pride explode and leave his insides in pieces?

Nah, unfortunately for Inuyasha.

"She's good...but not good enough." Sesshoumaru finally raised his head and stalked out of the kitchen with his usual calm and regal gait, appearing to be unfazed by the conspicuous redness of only _one_ side of his cheek. Not one of the two remaining in the kitchen--or near it--understood the meaning of what he had said before he left.

"Hmph," Inuyasha crossed his arms before shaking his head, "those two definitely don't have a bond of mates..."

The miko practically paralyzed beside him abruptly came back to life at his grumbling, though she missed what he had said. "What did you just say?"

"Nothing important, wench."

"_-sigh-_ Whatever you say. Well...do you want breakfast, Inuyasha?" Kagome at long last was able to walk into the kitchen without fearing for her life as her fiancé cautiously followed her in, willing out images of his brother and Rin...making out...again.

Of course, they had first waited for any signs of Sesshoumaru's return, but there were none. How strange was that? Neither of the two could guess what he had left to do, and especially when he had headed in the same direction as Rin...

...it wasn't their problem if he got slapped again.

"Hells yeah, wench! I'm starving!"

"As always."

**

* * *

**

"Why do I have to wear this piece of crap?! It itches!"

"Could you shut up for one moment?"

"No! Wait a second, wench--that choker-shit is coming no where near me!"

"Inuyasha, it's part of the uniform. And it's called a _tie_."

"Keh, as if I care what it's called. I'm _not_ wearing it."

"You _have _to! Hey! Don't run away from me!"

"I'm not running, wench! I just...uhh...have to find my shoes!"

"They're at the entrance to the apartment, where they _should_ be. Now, come here."

"No."

"Inuyasha..."

"Kagome..."

"I'll give you a puppy biscuit if you come..."

"..."

"Heel boy!"

**"STOP TREATING ME LIKE A DOG!"**

Kagome giggled and watched as Inuyasha literally fumed from the other side of their room, but she had to admit that the hanyou looked quite handsome in the academy's mandatory uniform for the high school students. Her chocolate eyes raked over his slender form, starting from his high-collared white shirt, to the navy blue blazer with the academy's emblem on its breast pocket covering it, and all the way down to the trim navy pants that completed his outfit. Oh, and she couldn't forget about his immortal necklace, which he refused to take off.

The only thing missing was the accompanying crimson red tie...

She sighed, shaking her head at the crazy idea of the half-immortal ever agreeing to wear something he deemed would choke him. But, she had on a similar tie, too--wasn't that a precedent for him? _He's an idiot. A stubborn but hot idiot. _

Who just so happened to kiss her only about an hour ago...

Inuyasha blinked at the blush that gradually bloomed in Kagome's cheeks, but decided not to comment on it. He scowled and glared down at his uniform, the damn thing that was itchy and uncomfortable and...and...itchy! Hell, he just hated all sorts of form-fitting clothes, and this damn uniform really outlined his lean physique. Either way...his golden eyes still shifted over to his embellished fiancée, and settled on the short, pleated navy skirt she wore... _Fuck, I'm turning into a hentai... _Now Kagome wasn't the only one blushing...

"Ok, Inuyasha," Kagome was finally able to speak after her blush died down, "it's really simple. The tie goes around your neck, but it won't choke you. See, is mine choking me?"

"Keh! I'm still not wearing it! I already have to deal with _this_ crap!" The hanyou pointed to his high-collared white shirt, which was buttoned all the way up to his neck, and glared murderously at the tie in Kagome's hand. There was no way he was letting another thing make him feel as if his neck was being constricted. He never had to wear such horrendous, tight things unless it was part of his battle clothing.

The miko silently agreed that her fiancé looked...well, a little _too_ groomed. There was just...something _wild_ about Inuyasha, something free and unrefined, and the fact that he currently looked like an army lieutenant didn't sit well with that image. _But he still needs to wear the tie or he'll be defying school regulations. Hmm... _"Alright, I'll tell you what. If you wear the tie at least loosely around your neck, then you can unbutton your shirt enough so that you feel comfortable."

"Can I just _not_ wear this damn uniform?" Why did he need to look like everyone else anyway? He shouldn't be forced to wear something he absolutely loathed!

His fiancée only grinned. "Nope. Now, is it a deal or not?"

One second passed by.

Then another...

Kagome's shoulders hunched as she clenched the crimson red tie in her hands, waiting impatiently for the hanyou to finally agree or not.

Inuyasha crossed his arms and deeply thought of a decision, making sure to take all the time he needed.

Five minutes later...

"We don't have all day! We need to get to class in _ten_ minutes, and do you _know_ how long it takes to get to the academic buildings?!" The raven-haired teenager finally exclaimed in exasperation, throwing her arms up into the air in a plea to retain her mental sanity. _Why, oh why do I have to be stuck with dog demons? Why have you cursed me, gods?!_

The hanyou's scowl deepened. "Fine, fine! But only if I can unbutton this jacket crap, too." It was all too tight on him! He was used to clothes that allowed him free movement, clothes that he could actually...fight in! In this uniform, he could hardly lift his arm!

"Argh! I admit defeat! Do whatever you want--it's _your_ school record, anyway."

A few minutes and several warning growls later, Kagome stepped back and admired her work. Inuyasha had yet to stop sending her and anything he laid his eyes upon venomous death glares, but she could care less at the moment! The crimson tie was tucked loosely under his white shirt's collar, and the garment itself was unbuttoned enough to reveal his collarbone. Now he resembled the image of an unkempt bad boy! Though, he still looked unhappy about having to wear the uniform... _Eh, he'll get used to it. _

"Sooo...I think we should start heading to class. Our first period of the day is Literature!" And she looked enthused about it, too.

Inuyasha glowered at his fiancée for a good few seconds before he growled and grudgingly followed her example of picking up his black messenger bag. He took a moment to curiously peer inside it and smirked when he found his brand new blood red laptop, which he had semi learned to use last night. The hanyou found it fun to play with the built-in mouse..._Maybe with that I won't have to pay attention in class..._

Kagome caught the look of mischievous glee on his face when she glanced at him. She sighed and remarked, "I know what you're thinking and it won't work. The teachers always walk around to check if you're typing notes."

_Damn. How does she know what I'm thinking? Is the wench secretly psychic? _He sent her a suspicious glare--he just couldn't trust her these days. "Whatever. Are we leaving or what, wench?" Inuyasha and Kagome now stood in the middle of the hallway, with the hanyou merely following the younger teen's lead; however, the miko had suddenly stopped.

"Well...I was just wondering if we should wait for Rin. I mean, she and Sesshoumaru haven't come out of their room yet and they've already been in there for more than a half-hour. What could they be doing?" Inuyasha, personally, didn't want to find out, so he refrained from having an input in the conversation at all. Soon enough, Kagome consented that with those two, anything was possible...and her virgin mind would be tainted if she discovered the secrets of...darkness.

"Hey, wench..."

_When is he going to permanently call me by my real name?_ Her eye twitched a couple of times before she mustered the will to respond. "What, jerk?"

Inuyasha was slightly surprised at what he guessed was his new nick name, but he shrugged it off. "Am I going to need that big ass book you handed me yesterday? The one with the weird table on it?"

Kagome struggled to remember which 'big ass' book he was talking about. "You mean the Calculus one? And it's not a table, it's a pi symbol."

"Same shit. Anyway, I didn't put it in my bag thing."

"But I told you to!"

"It was heavy!"

"So not only are you an idiotic dog, but you're a lazy one, too?!"

"Hey! If I recall correctly, you're the one who didn't want to make me breakfast when you freakin' offered!"

"That's because you broke the skillet! Who told you to file your claws on it?!"

"I wasn't filing my claws--I ain't Sesshoumaru! And I only broke it since you held it in a way that I thought you were going to throw it at me!"

"Why would I do that?! I'd rather throw a humungous pot at you!"

"See! You **ARE** a psychotic wench who got ideas from a certain psychotic bitch!"

Kagome resisted the urge to whip out her Slipper of Death. "Go get the book, Inuyasha. And hurry up!"

"Keh!" The hanyou then walked back into their room in search for the heavy book he had dumped somewhere. It wasn't his fault the huge crap hardly fit in his bag thing--he swore it was fatter than his bed's mattress!

_Ding Dong!_

"Great, _now_ who could that be?" Kagome was not in the mood for visitors at the moment, and the sour expression on her face was proof enough.

_Ding Dong! Ding Dong!_

And she became even more annoyed when whoever was ringing the door bell was an impatient jerk like someone else she knew...who deemed it unnecessary to bring along a book only because it was heavy! _Grr, if we wouldn't be late to class, I'd sit down and plan his extremely painful murder. Maybe I can get Rin's help since she's planning _two_ at this moment in time... _

_Ding Dong! Ding Dong! Ding Dong! _

"I heard it the first five million times! Please **STOP** now!" Mornings were starting to become chaotic for the raven-haired teen, and she had only been living in her new apartment with new people for a whopping three nights. Even a saintly miko like her could be driven to insanity..._Inuyasha's rubbing off on me already... _Besides the obvious rubbing his lips on her... _Stupid blush! I'm going to kill Inuyasha now!_

Kagome grumbled curses to herself as she made her way to the living room, and then she suddenly stopped in front of the door. Was it safe to open it? Who would be on the other side? Class was starting real soon; what student would still be hanging around the dormitories...if he or she wasn't a psychotic teen and/or a stubborn immortal jerk?

_Ding--_

The miko decided to put a lid on her hesitation, and with what sounded like a battle cry, she swung open the door. **"WHAT DO YOU WANT?!" **

_--Dong!_

"So Ayame _was_ right--my woman _is_ here!"

_Oh crap! Oh no, no, no, no, no, no--a million times no! Go away, go away; ah! Die! Die! Die! Stupid, Kagome! This is why Mama said _never_ to open the door to strangers! _

Before she could speak past her shock, Kagome found herself enveloped into a tight embrace, with muscular arms clad in the school's high school uniform blazer wrapped around her waist. There was no way for her to escape, and she mentally berated herself again...geez, she had forgotten about the 'boring' life she had _before_ Inuyasha and the others unceremoniously popped in. The same 'boring' life in which she had _two_ lovesick admirers..._Hopefully an immortal wizard kidnapped Inuyasha and forced him to go on a year-long quest to find the legendary Ramen Maker... _

"Umm, well, you see..." _Shoot! He's not listening! _She was pressed so close to the student that she couldn't even catch a glimpse of his handsome face--heck, she was even talking into his chest rather than at him! She didn't have to guess who it was, though...

He buried his nose in the crook of her neck and inhaled her sweet, soothing sce--wait, what was that unfamiliar masculine tinge to her scent?! His woman was not supposed to smell like--! "What the hell?! Why does my woman smell like some damn mutt?!"

"And that damn mutt is gonna rip your fucking head off if you don't let go of Kagome, wolf shit. _Now_."

_Is there supposed to be savage growling in the background? _The miko figured there wasn't and soon sighed, musing if she tried hard enough, maybe a hole to hell in the ground will magically open up and swallow her. _Of all the things happening to me recently--why does Kouga of all people have to suddenly appear out of nowhere? _

Today was so not going to be her day...

...and she was completely right about that.

* * *

**A/N: SHORTENED! PROCEED TO NEXT CHAPTER! :-D**


	10. Killing Field

**A/N: Yup yup, another chappie! Man, I didn't want it to be this long...**

**Whatever. Anyway, whoever wrote this review--a person who signed under the name 'yo', this if for you and anyone else who has the same confusion. Here's the review: **

why is it that every time kagome or rin is in trouble they are completely uselsess? i mean their both mikos so you say..and their defenseless? does this make sense to you? it common and boring and i am simply getting tired of reading the same bull shit taboo in every story yor plot is so interesting but you make the fight scenes boring. in the series kagome fights and defends too as much as she can..and shes brave but everyone seems to want to think that shes not! its ridiculous..come now author..impress your reading we want to read about some raw power comin out of kagome OR rin for once!

**Alrighty, first thing! Rin is **NOT**, I repeat, **NOT** a miko! Only **Kagome** is! I don't know if I didn't make this clear, or if I made a mistake and mentioned that she was, but she is **NOT** a miko! Sorry for the confusion! So she's just a normal human being who just so happened to be engaged to a demon god...**_for now_**. I did say that I suck at writing fight scenes, so you have a point there, and I know Kagome is all brave and strong--I just dont like her, but that's just me--and blah blah blah! And come on now, dont get ahead of me! I did mention that Kagome doesn't know how to use her miko abilities. Unbelieveable: yes. But I made it that way, you know why? Because it has to do with the plot. But you made great points and I'm sorry for my suckiness. **

**Hey, you even gave me some inspiration even if it wasn't intentional...thank you! **

**:-D**

**If any of you people out there feel the same, well, keep reading my story even if it doesn't interest you at the moment and you'll find out the reason **WHY** Kagome and Rin are so defenseless when they shouldn't be. I'm not trying to make them appear completely useless throughout the whole story, because they're not--just that, **at this moment**, they're not powerful. They're **NORMAL**. Why? It's part of the plot so I cant tell you. If you truly want to know so badly that you cant wait until this story progresses and wish for me to spoil it to find out, then message me and I'll be happy to tell you my plans! That is, only if you promise to keep reading... ;-D **

**I'm tricky, right?**

**Ok, peeps! Enjoy the chappie! Anymore issues that you need me to explain and/or talk about, review or message me and I'll get back to you! Just dont do it anonymously because then I wont be able to reply unless I update! Dont be afraid to ask anything or vent because you as reviewers have the right to state your opinion! And I sincerely love all of you because you make my review count go up! Yup, I'm selfish...::grins innocently:: **

**HERE YA GO!**

* * *

**Oh My Gods! 10**

* * *

Kouga narrowed his azure blue eyes and growled at the silver-haired hanyou standing a few feet away from him and his woman, the same half-breed whose hand was ready to strike him...with a gargantuan Calculus book. _The nerve of the mutt! Can't he at least use a better, less humiliating weapon? _His only response to the silent threat was tightening his hold on the raven-haired beauty in his arms. "Well if it isn't the long lost Mutt Prince! Aren't you supposed to be living in a palace with your little 'Daddy' back in Makai?"

Kagome tensed, but it went unnoticed by the wolf demon still possessively embracing her. How did Kouga know that her fiancé was a...a prince?!_ And he mentioned a palace in Makai. What's he talking about? Palace equals royalty...no, he can't know! He j-just can't! _

Inuyasha clenched his hands, bearing his fangs as a ferocious growl emanated from his lower throat and chest. "That's none of your business, wolf shit. And for your information, since you were too dumb to find out--my Dad's been dead for years. Hmph, aren't you supposed to be leading Enma now that your 'Papa' bit the dust?" Kagome didn't know what the heck they were talking about...

"Don't you **dare** talk about my father as if you know him, half-breed!" The wolf demon snarled.

"Then don't talk about mine, ya wimpy wolf!"

"I'll do what I want, dog turd! I aint Prince of Enma for nothing!"

"Keh! When you're arguing with someone, just make sure he isn't Prince of the whole fucking Western-Eastern Empire!"

"I don't _care_ if you're a prince or not--you're still just a shit-faced mutt in the end!"

"Oh yeah, I should've known wolves suffer from head-in-ass syndrome..."

"Fuck you!"

"What is going **on** here?! And Kouga, let go of me already!" The miko, who had been feeling a bit left out as the two canine demons had their piss fight, finally broke free from her tenacious hold and stood in between them. She glared at each of them before facing Kouga. "Ok, how in the world do you know Inuyasha?"

"I don't know him personally, Kagome, not that I'd want to, anyway," the wolf demon replied, smirking at his woman with all the charm a prince could possess. The teen wished it wasn't illegal to kill someone at the moment, especially when she glanced back at her fiancé only to see that his eyes flashed crimson red. _Not good... _But, as she carefully observed him, she noticed that he looked...well..._different_. His aura drastically changed for the worse, too..._definitely not good. _

Even so, Kagome was glad that he finally stuffed his Calculus book into his messenger bag...there was no need to have flying textbooks in the living room...

"Keh!" _I have to control myself_, the hanyou mentally growled, willing his inner youkai to calm down; the fact that another demon was so close to his 'mate' didn't bode well with it. He didn't know he was capable of being _this_ possessive, almost to the point of desiring to draw his own blood if it would settle his raging youkai--of course, the first one bleeding would be the wolf demon. "He's an immortal living in the mortal realm, future King of the Northern Lands--Enma. We only met once when we were pups--it was hate at first sight."

"I never saw the Prince of the Western Lands--which is Makai--after that." And he was glad of it. "Now, why the hell are you and mutt face living together? Tell me what Ayame said isn't true!" Kouga wasted no time in taking a hold of Kagome's two hands as though he was going to propose to her. He ignored the savage growling in the background, for the most part...as well as his woman's pale face.

"Umm..." _What am I supposed to tell him?_ All this was new to her! So there were _more_ immortals hiding in the mortal realm?! What?! And she hadn't known that Kouga was a prince! Well, it did explain his charm... Moreover, she eyed the necklace acting as a choker around the dark-haired demon's neck, which seemed like ordinary surfer beads--now she knew that the necklace actually marked him as an immortal.

And he had eight teeth on it; thence he was _also _a demon god. _Next thing I know, I'll find out that Houjo's the Prince of Atlantis... _

Inuyasha was trying very hard to suppress the urge to kill and think later, but his attempts were becoming futile with every second that damn wolf spent so close to _his_ Kagome! Hell--he didn't care anymore and he wasn't going to deny it; Kagome was **his** and it was going to **stay** that way unless _he_ said so! Damn, red was seeping into his vision again... "Isn't it obvious, or are you blind, wolf bitch? We're engaged."

"Engaged?!" Kouga looked like someone had shot him in the heart, and he faced Kagome with the most earnest and hurt expression on his handsome, tanned face that had her gulping. "He forced you into it, didn't he? I'll kill dog turd and then we can be together, my woman! I don't care what our families say because I love you and I'll make you mine!"

_What play are we in, Romeo and Juliet?_ The miko thought dryly. She didn't care; the first bell was going to ring soon, and because of these two dimwits, she now only had time to make the _second_ bell in order to not be considered late. "That's nice and all, but--"

"Make her yours?! Asshole, she's mine!" Kagome desperately wanted to know why dog demons--no, scratch that, _all_ canine demons were overly possessive! _And what does Inuyasha mean that I'm his?! I'm not a dog bone that any one can just verbally claim! _

"Can you guys just please--"

"She's _my_ woman, therefore _my_ mate." Kouga finally let go of the raven-haired teen's hands, evidently ignoring her anger, and treaded closer onto thin ground, where Inuyasha was glaring at him with what had to be the most deadly expression Kagome had ever seen on his face. The way his jaw was determinedly set with his eyes keenly narrowed gave away his cryptic intent--_murder_. He seemed ready to..._kill _someone...

_This is getting out of hand, _Kagome nervously stared back and forth between Kouga and Inuyasha, taking in the wolf demon's cocky smirk and the hanyou's deadpan look. _I didn't think they would react this way to each other, _especially_ Inuyasha! One second, he's beyond furious; the next, it's like he's Sesshoumaru's twin! _

"Come say that again to my face, wolf shit. Tell me again that she's yours." His voice terrified Kagome--she swore it wasn't his! It was _too_ calm, _too_ smooth, _too_ much like his older brother's, who was probably the most powerful and dangerous demon in the entire universe! Gods, comparing the two at the moment left hardly any room for distinctions!

"Let's just go to class, you guys...we'll be late!" No one listened to her; Inuyasha was lost behind a thick wall of ice while Kouga couldn't see past an unvoiced challenge that he wanted to conquer. It was just the two of them, and Kagome was forced to be a spectator. She noted how tense their bodies were, hidden beneath navy uniforms, and how their auras spiked in warning..._death_ was in the air, that's what it was. She hadn't imagined such a thing was _possible_, but she was witnessing it.

_It's like...like the living room suddenly became a field for a gruesome kill... _

Inuyasha's eyes were beyond frozen and his face was grim; it reminded his fiancée of how he had appeared before battling those demon puppets a couple of nights ago. Her eyes widened when she realized just _what _the half-immortal was planning, and her heart went out to Kouga, who obliviously took the bait like a true arrogant fool. _Oh no, he's going to--!_

The wolf demon prince smirked and walked closer towards Inuyasha until their noses nearly touched. It didn't bother him that the hanyou's demonic aura was darker than usual and voltaic energy was cackling around him, serving as a barrier for his anger. Hell, he even disregarded the fact that a rock currently showed more emotions than the usually abrasive half-breed. All that passed through his mind was proving once and for all who was the dominant male, proving once and for all who was the better leader, who had the better pack--and better yet, who, in the end, kept claim on his prize.

"Fine, then, stupid mutt. Kagome is _mine_. Kagome is _my_ woman. Kagome is--**AH!"**

**"KOUGA!** Inuyasha **STOP!" **

Inuyasha's dark amber eyes maliciously smiled, and they glanced down to gaze at the clawed hand, _his_ clawed hand that gripped the damn wolf's throat. His sharp claws dug into soft tanned flesh, enough so that thick crimson blood was drawn, and his nimble fingers tightened around his rival's neck, now silently daring him to continue spewing foolish nonsense. Kouga struggled to claw at the hand that blocked his airways--hell, he struggled to breathe! But nothing...nothing worked! Kagome was tugging restlessly at Inuyasha's arm, but he heeded none of it.

All he saw, all that he _could_ see, was a certain wolf demon's suffering.

He loved the thrill of a kill--he loved the pained look on his victim's face. The poor fool couldn't even breathe; the gradual redness seeping onto his pale face foretold his fate. He only wanted to laugh at the other's expense, and at the ridiculous pleading of the human woman pulling at his arm in near tears.

Who was she? Who was he trying to kill? Who was...who was he? He didn't know. But he enjoyed this...torture. _Yes,_ he consented while his youki seemed to roar with agony as it fought a losing battle against sizzling, foreign dark energy, _I enjoy this very much. And I won't stop. I can't stop. Why can't I stop? No, I won't stop. This wolf's agony...is what I've wanted for a long time. How and why are questions I can't answer. Something is telling me that he should die...painfully. What is it? Where am I? _

**"INUYASHA! STOP! **You're going to kill him!" Kagome didn't know what to do as she begged and tried to talk some sense into her apparently crazed fiancé.

Why was he acting like this?! Why did he look so intent on murdering Kouga, as if he was a hated enemy? An adversary, a challenge that he took glee in surpassing...Why did he look so lost in sadistic satisfaction? Who _was _this conniving demon that morphed from the idiotic yet big-hearted hanyou she knew and cared for?

She wasn't far from the truth, however...she realized that no matter what she said to him, or how hard she pulled on his arm...her eyes shifted to Kouga's pained expression as he tried to breathe in fresh air, with his azure eyes nearly popping out of their sockets...Kagome knew that Inuyasha wouldn't stop. He couldn't stop....because he didn't know himself anymore. How did she know that?

_I cant...I have to do something!_ She couldn't bear to just idly stand by and watch her fiance kill someone! She couldn't! But what could she do? What was there to do that would bring Inuyasha back...or at least stop him?

Her heart pounded in her ears, defeaning her, shutting out the sounds of Kouga's struggle to breathe. She glanced at her fiance's dark eyes gleaming with sadisitc pleasure. Her blood raced through her veins, pulsing rapidly under her skin. The wolf demon's wide blue eyes and gritted teeth were ingrained into her memory. Her hands fisted at her sides, attempting to fight the foreign pressure pushing on her chest.

She couldn't just stand by and watch. No.

She _wouldn't._

"I'll do whatever it takes, Inuyasha..." Amber eyes flitted towards her, regarding her with a mere passing glance, as if deciding that she, a human mortal, was no threat to his power. "I'll do whatever it takes to get you back...because the Inuyasha I know would _never_ kill someone out of sick pleasure." She raised her head high enough so that her blazing chocolate eyes were no longer hidden by her raven bangs. "I'll get you back!!"

Without thinking, without rationalizing what she was doing, Kagome latched onto Inuyasha's arm with all her might, but she did note the warmth spreading through her fingers. The warmth that summoned tingling sensations at the tips of her fingers...did she ever look down at her hands? No.

So of course, the miko didn't know that they were glowing a soft pink...

...that is, until a flash of bright pink light blinded everyone...

...with a scene that seemed more familiar than possible...

_Kagome gasped as she was more or less sucked into some kind of dark forest in the depths of her mind. How did she know that? Who knew, but she fathomed that her subconcious self had somehow reverted into her mind. _'Wasn't I just in the living room? Where am I and what's going on? Where's Inuyasha and Kouga?' _She was beyond confused, though she didn't have time to mull over her situation when she heard shouting coming from up ahead. _

_**"INUYASHA!!"**__ The miko blinked repeatedly before she gaped. Now she was really confused. _'That voice...the one shouting...that's...that's me.'_** "STOOOP!!"**_'What's happening?'

_She wasted no time to run towards where the voice--her voice--was coming from. In less than a minute, after gasping for air--stupid hills--she lifted her head and laid eyes upon the scene in front of her. She couldn't help but gasp in complete shock..._

'Oh my gods...that **is** me shouting! A-And...Inuyasha, Kouga! They're in the same...the same thing's happening as before. Inuyasha's strangling him...' _Kagome sucked in a breath of air as she analyzed what was occuring in the clearing. She eyed...herself tugging at the hanyou's arm, the same arm that held a dangling Kouga at the other end...but she was wearing some kind of strange silk garb. It looked...midevil like...a light green dress of sorts. _

_Her eyes then settled on Inuyasha, who was wearing the same fire rat kimono he usually wore...his immortal clothes. And Kouga...the wolf prince was wearing what looked like battle clothing, with a black breastplate covering his chest, brown furred shoulder guards, headband, wristband, etc. Obviously...he wouldn't wear that in the mortal realm. _'So...am I in the _immortal_ realm? But then...how can there be two of me in the same place?'

_The miko was confused, yet she continued to watch. "Inuyasha, please! You're going to kill him!" As before, she was pleading unsuccessfully with a murderous hanyou. "Step away from the killing field--please step away from it! There's no use in killing him!" _

'He's not listening...' _Kagome brought her hand up to her chest, clutching the woven fabric of her navy blazer. _'Why does it hurt so much that he's not listening...? Like he's so close, yet so far away...it hurts.' _And she knew that it also hurt her twin self by the tears that threatened to escape her eyes... _

_"You won't listen to me, my love? Will you lose yourself to the point of killing him for your own satsifaction?" _'My love?! Whoah...' _Sure, they kissed but she didn't love him! "You leave me no choice. I'll do whatever it takes, Inuyasha. I'll do whatever it takes to get you back....because the Inuyasha I know would never kill someone out of sick pleasure...I'll get you back!!" _

'I said that, too...' _What was going on?! _'Wait her, well _my_ hands are glowing pink! I think that happened before...what was that?'

_She watched as her twin self fisted her hands at her sides, much like she had done, and grew awed when they started to glow a soft pink. The miko could feel the sheer spiritual energy coming from her even from the long distance between them! _'Am I _that_ strong?' _Even now, the pure energy was trying to lull her towards it...draw her in... _'Yeah, that's power all right.'

_Her twin's eyes blazed with agony. "Whatever it takes...I'll do whatever it takes..." _

_Kagome's own eyes widened in horror. Was she...?! Would she...?! _'Oh my gods, she's, well _I'm_ going to...to purify him?! Her hands are glowing with _purifying_ energy that can kill demons...no way...I wouldn't...oh no...no...' _Her twin nearly embraced her supposed lover's arm, and with one solid tear escaping each of her eye lids, she slowly pressed her glowing hands onto Inuyasha's flesh... _'No...' _The area was then englufed in a bright flash of pink light, much like the one she had seen before she 'reverted' into herself... _

_But...she could still hear Inuyasha's howl of pain... _

_**"NOOOO--!!!"**_

........

**"--OOOO!!!" **

**SPLASH!! **

"W-Wha...WHAT IN THE **FUCK** WAS _**THAT**_ FOR?!?!?! I'M FUCKING **DRENCHED** NOW!!!"

Kagome bolted upright while gasping in terror, and she blinked a few times, trying to gather her current surroundings. Her eyes found Kouga groaning as he rubbed his head, apparently recovering from a nasty fall--or did he pass out? Inuyasha was the one screaming his head off as usual, yelling profanity after profanity at his elder brother, who was boredly scrutinizing the claws on his right hand while holding a gray bucket in his other. But most importantly, they were all back in the living room...and Inuyasha hadn't been purified.

Once her breathing settled, and the miko was able to think coherently again, she looked down at her hands.

They were normal; no glowing, no pink, no warmth--just normal.

Was that a good thing?

_What just happened?_ She sighed, closing her eyes at the memory now embedded into her mind for life. Inuyasha's cry of pain...her glowing hands...a flash of blinding light... What was it all? What had she seen? _Did the others see it, too? _Somehow, she doubted it. _That flash of light...it happened after I touched Inuyasha's skin...were my hands glowing before that trip down memory lane? Yeah...it was. But...I didn't purify him. _

She gazed up at him, watching him as he ranted with all the energy that a sopping wet hanyou could possess. He seemed fine, absolutely fine. Kagome bit her lip in frustration. What the hell just happened?! _And since when did I learn to purify demons? Last thing I knew, my miko powers were pretty much...um, is dormant the right word? Whatever. I didn't know how to use them, and now... _She intently observed her fingers, which appeared normal on the outside, yet...she felt tingling in the inside...the warmth was also returning. _Now I can summon that pure energy on will. What happened to me? _

"--and you didn't have to fucking dump a bucket of cold-ass water on my--"

While ignoring his younger brother's furious ranting, Sesshoumaru nonchalantly stared at the random gray bucket in his hand with a quirked eye brow, almost as if he was surprised that it had materialized itself into his possession out of no where. He then directed his gaze back to his seething younger brother, who was a living example of a wet dog with water dripping down his cheeks, locks of silver hair, and, yes, his no longer immaculate uniform.

The dog demon assessed his inferior's eyes, which were once again a vibrant gold flaming with suppressed fury rather than a cynical dark amber. The wolf also seemed unharmed...except for his raw neck...and the miko...he eyed the miko...she appeared to be bewildered. _Hn...does she not know what she had just done? What she _could_ have done? Plausibly. Well, there is no need to inform her at this moment, especially with the wolf present. _

He briefly shut his golden honey eyes at the distasteful sight before him. "Good, you're back to normal, as well as conscious." Kagome mused about what he had said. _So we _did_ pass out. Gods, what had I done?! _

"Oh hoh, so _you're_ here, too? What the hell?! Is there a gathering for princes or something that I didn't know about?!" The silver-haired immortal in question refrained from commenting on _certain_ people's stupidity whatsoever.

"Yeah, he's engaged to someone, too." _I really have to watch what I say around Sesshoumaru; he's going to kill me one day. _Kagome met his death glare--it was the second one today--with a nervous smile. She was glad, at least, that she was gradually coming out of her stupor.

Kouga furrowed his eye brows at the...revelation. "I never saw that coming...anyway--what in the fucking seven blazing hells were you trying to do to me, dog fuck?!" He erupted once he caught a hold of himself with Kagome's help, so overcome with anger that he even forgot to flash her a princely smile. Was the world ending?! "You piece of shit mutt! If you had killed me, there would've been **HELL** to pay!"

"In the contrary, wolf," Sesshoumaru cut in before another piss fight commenced, "the Western-Eastern Empire would merely become the Western-_Northern_-Eastern Empire."

The wolf demon rolled his eyes in exasperation, bringing his hand up to wrap around his tender neck. "It still doesn't explain why **he** tried to **kill** me!" _Gods dammit! I didn't know the half-breed was _that_ strong! His aura was freakin' suffocating me! _

"It still doesn't explain why I'm fucking **DRENCHED!" **If there was one thing Inuyasha hated the most, it was being soaking wet. From head-to-toe. With his clothes uncomfortably clinging to his lean body. Well, then again, he also hated the 'innocent' look his brother shot him, a look saying, 'What does that have to do with me?' _Damn bastard..._

"Since you are both dimwitted fools, I shall explain." Sesshoumaru, however, first took the chance to wipe invisible dust from his impeccable uniform, which was a black version of the high school one. Kagome had to admit that he looked even more handsome than usual--of course, he looked like a wealthy and intelligent businessman. _That's actually pretty close to being true... _

"We don't have all day here, bastard!" Inuyasha growled through his gritted teeth, trying to ignore the miserable feeling of being...wet.

The dog demon sighed. "Rule number one of immortals residing in the mortal realm: do not kill. _Period_. Rule number two: do not venture into killing fields." He glared at the two canine demons glowering at each other. "Now, who wants to be the star puppy student and tell me what you two whelps did wrong?"

"_He_ tried to kill me!" Kouga pointed an accusing finger at Inuyasha, seeming like the tattletale he..._still_ was.

"_You_ provoked me into a killing field!" The hanyou shot back, his former anger swelling with vengeance. Gods, now he remembered why he hated wolf demons! And the fact that he had almost ventured into a killing field was new to him...obviously, he couldn't remember when he lost his self-control in the first place...or when he had fallen unconscious, so Sesshoumaru said.

"Because you didn't want to believe that Kagome is my woman!"

_How did they drag me into this again? Sheesh, I'm going to have to murder Kouga now..._ And after she completed her series of murders, the miko was going to officially change her name and move to a distant country where there were _no_ over-possessive canine demons...hopefully, that included the immortal ones. Those dogs were the trickiest.

Inuyasha felt his mind clouding with fury once again. "She's MINE!" _What's it gonna take to get it through his fucking thick skull?! If she's my fiancée, then she's mine! Keh! And I don't see him having a bond of mates with Kagome! _

"MINE!"

"MINE!"

**"MIIINE!"**

**"MIIIIIII**--**!!"**

"Shut up, now." Sesshoumaru was inwardly relieved that he managed to call back the two idiots from the edge of a killing field before it was too late. "Wolf, you knew that the half-breed was one step away from a killing field, and yet you still did not relent. Half-breed, you need to control your anger, as well as your inner youkai, much more efficiently so that things like this do not occur a second time. Am I understood?"

Kagome wasn't even going to ask what a killing field was...she'd heard about it twice already, yet interrupting the three demons at the moment probably wouldn't be a good idea. She surmised, though, that a killing field...was anything but pretty.

A series of grumbles was the immortal's answer, not that he cared for a proper response anyway. "Good--refrain from fighting again or I will have to drag you both to the immortal realm and kill you." With that said and done, the dog demon bent over to pick up his forgotten briefcase. However, he abruptly stilled his movements and faced the direction he had come from. Everyone noticed one of his pointed ears twitching by the slightest bit, and soon enough, his nose twitched in unison...what was he doing?

And then...he left without a word. He just vanished...or..._ran away_ was more appropriate.

Inuyasha blinked and cocked his head, no longer minding that he was still dripping water.

Kagome just...gaped at the fact that Sesshoumaru had shown _fear_ for a split second.

Kouga crossed his arms once the wounds on his neck finally healed, oblivious to the dog demon's _unusually_ brisk departure...as always.

But they all understood when...

**"SEEESSHOOOUUUMAAARUUU!!!!!" **

**BANG!! **

Like a paralyzing clap of thunder, the door to bedroom on the left side of the closest hall way slammed open, and a disheveled teenager nearly bolted out. Those in the living room swore they saw lightening strike the carpeted floor behind her, but even that did not overpower the hell that was in the dark-haired girl's eyes. The fiery cinnamon irises of her eyes then searched for a certain demon god culprit, but he was not in the room. He. Was. Not. There. **"DAMMIT! **I'm going to **KILL HIM!!" **

The others were petrified of the object she held in one hand, though--it was her desk top lamp. And she looked ready to throw it at any moment in time...Kouga decided to never come pick up his woman ever again so long as she lived with homicidal weirdoes...

"Hey, Rin," Inuyasha immediately signed his death warrant when he spoke to the harshly breathing teen, though his golden eyes were fixed on her neck...or one side of it, actually, "what's that red thing on your neck? It looks horrible--is it a cut that got infected?"

Kouga huffed. "Duh! It's a big-ass bruise!"

"It looks _worse_ than just a bruise! Don't you see how red and purple it is?!"

"Listen, mutt face--I'm the only one who's not an idiot here, so I know what I'm talking about. _That_ thing is a bruise. See--look at the size of it! It's like she got hit with a baseball!"

_A baseball? Oh yeah, it's a ball used in a weird human game played with a bat._ Perhaps there truly _was_ a good reason why Kagome made him read the dictionary instead of the obvious one--torturing him. "Keh! You can't go around with that crap on your neck, Rin."

"You got that right; it's an eye sore." The sable-haired wolf demon nodded as the hanyou smirked. Was it a miracle that he and Inuyasha at long last agreed on something without trying to kill each other? Perhaps the only way they could get along was if Kagome suddenly disappeared... _Maybe _I_ should be the one to go on that Ramen Maker quest... _

The miko in the living room shifted her attention to her friend, and gulped when she noticed that Rin's eyes just kept getting darker and darker with each of their comments. The lamp in her hand rose higher and higher, too... _Why are guys so stupid? And _now_ I know why Sesshoumaru and Rin did so long in their room... _She shuddered at the thought of exactly _what_ they had been doing.

No need to envision it!

"You there...with the pony tail..." Kouga blinked in confusion when he realized that the 'mentally unstable' teen was talking to him. He soon gulped and felt chills run up his spine when she raised her head, enough so that her devilish eyes were no longer covered by her obsidian bangs. "I'm giving you three seconds to get out of here. One..."

The wolf demon wanted to whimper--what the hell was he supposed to do?!

Rin growled and poised the lamp in her hand up higher in the air, "Two..."

Inuyasha shot him an exasperated look, silently willing him to run away with his tail between his legs like Sesshoumaru had done. Kouga's hands trembled when the bright orange lamp rose even higher...

**"THREEEEE!!!"**

"AYAAAMEEE!! I decided to walk you to class only if you **SAVE ME!!" **

**SLAM! **

**BAAAM!! **

"GAAAH!!!!"

**THUD!! **

_Ok, that's it! I'm asking Rin for an apprenticeship!_ Kagome cynically grinned and rubbed her hands together like a crazed scientist. She did lightly kick the prone body sprawled on the sodden carpet right next to her for no reason at all... _Hm, this is actually pretty fun..._

All the while, poor Inuyasha was swirly eyed. Why?

Well, Rin had ended up throwing the lamp at _him_ since Kouga managed to escape.

**

* * *

**

Giggling. Laughing. Gossiping. Joking.

That's what surrounded him at the moment--he hated it, and the worst part was that he would be stuck with all these annoying sounds while in a cramped room for an _hour_. Well, that was until he would switch classes only to suffer the same thing again, or that was what Kagome had explained. His golden amber eyes then glanced at the carefree faces of his fellow classmates as they mingled and talked and...did _teenager_ things.

He had always found it strange how mortals bonded with each other.

Even now, he felt extremely out of place, standing beside whom he guessed was the 'teacher' in the classroom. Not only did he stand out like a sore thumb because of his exotic silver hair and golden eyes--not even the demons here had such wild hair colors--but as he gazed at all the...the 'cliques' the students were in, from what he sorted was the girlie girl group to the really athletic guys, he realized that he just wouldn't fit in with any of them. Kagome had her own friends; what about him? He hated her friends, except for the really dense one--so what was he supposed to do?

_Keh. It's not like I need any of this crap. I don't need friends. _He nodded in tune with his thoughts. He had been alone for most of his life, or what he remembered of it, and he wasn't about to start vying for companionship now. Living with Sesshoumaru for years did that to a person...

"Alright, class! Settle down!" The human teacher standing in front of his mahogany wooden desk cleared his throat to get his class of twenty-seven students to silence. The hanyou beside him merely shook his head, feeling dread drip into the pool of mixed emotions flooding his mind.

It took at least a minute longer for the entire classroom to quiet down enough so that a pin could be heard dropping on the floor, and Inuyasha had to say that the silence was uncomfortable. He twitched his ears a couple of times in annoyance--he detested the growing feeling of isolation and solitude bombarding his heart and mind. Though, he noticed too late that twitching his ears was not good; people were snickering at his peculiar 'hanyou defect'.

Dammit! He had dog ears! So what?! He was damn proud of it!

"Good morning, everyone!" The class responded with the same greeting. "Today, we have a new student joining our lovely Literature class! Why don't you go ahead and introduce yourself? I'm Nobunaga-sensei."

Inuyasha stared at his new dark-haired teacher in something akin to contempt. He didn't want to talk to these imbecile mortals! But, his glare was met with a patient smile, and after a half-minute of nonstop staring, the hanyou consented and faced the 'eagerly' awaiting class. "Maebashi Inuyasha."

...

Nobunaga-sensei clicked his tongue at the awkward silence that accompanied _that_ clipped statement. "Ok...then welcome, Inuyasha! Since you're new and all, tell us a bit about yourself!"

_Chirp...chirp...chirp..._

Where did that grasshopper come from all of a sudden?

The half-immortal cocked one of his eye brows incredulously. Who did this human think he was?! And what did he mean by 'tell us a bit about yourself'? What did 'a bit' entail? He subconsciously sought out his fiancée in the midst of the sea of students, and found her seated in the third column of paired desks, specifically in the second row. She met his gaze and smiled encouragingly...hmm...

"Keh! I'm Kagome's fiancé." Her smile instantly turned into a frown. Did he say something wrong? She looked ready to kill him...

"No way! Kagome's engaged?! When did that happen?!" One of the girls sitting behind the miko shrieked, causing the teen to hunch her shoulders, hoping that it would protect her from further mishaps.

"Shoot, that's another hot girl taken! We're running out of choices, Daisuke!" Inuyasha had to resist the urge to rip off the asshole's smirking lips and shove it down his laughing friend's throat.

"Well _someone_ is getting busy...soon enough, there'll be another high school drop out to add to the statistics...I hope your kids have _his_ pretty hair." At that comment coming from a rather coquettish demoness with short charcoal black hair, Kagome snapped her eyes up and furiously glared at her blinking-dumbly-because-psychotic-wench-might-kill-me fiancé.

Nobunaga-sensei, whose coffee eyes had bugged out of their sockets, finally regained his composure and silenced his class. "T-That's great to know, Inuyasha. Congratulations Kagome!" The miko's beat red face beheld a potent death glare directed at her oh so intelligent fiancé. "Um...is there anything else...?"

The hanyou thought long and hard about it, racking his brain for something about himself that would satisfy his human teacher--_this_ time, whatever he said was not going to be held liable against him by his fiancée. He didn't know why she was so angry; all he said was the truth! He wasn't supposed to lie about it, right?

"...I like ramen." Yeah, he was dead meat.

**"HAHAHA!!"**

Laughter erupted from each and everyone one of the students in the classroom, even the teacher allowed himself a couple of chuckles. The only ones not laughing were Kagome, who was banging her head against her wooden desk, and Inuyasha, who scowled since he didn't know why everyone was making fun of him. Was it funny that he liked ramen? It was the best food in the world!

"Thank you, Maebashi! You can go sit in that empty seat next to Morimotto Yuka, the girl with the short auburn hair. Yuka, raise your hand!"

_Oh no. Fuck no. This cant be happening. _Inuyasha stood paralyzed as he gaped at the one person he did **not** want to sit next to no matter what. The one human girl who got on his nerves more than anyone else ever had, including that wolf shit, Kouga. The bitchy friend of Kagome...Yuka...was, in turn, glaring daggers at him as he slowly made his way to his desk, which was fortunately--maybe currently _unfortunately_--across from his fiancée.

_Damn, one of us is going to end up dead by the end of class, and it won't be me._ And he was completely sure of that.

Nobunaga-sensei was oblivious to the overwhelming tension between his two adjacent students, and he began his lesson with a goofy smile on his face at all times. "Last class, we left off discussing Edo Period Lit, and we thoroughly examined the influences of feudal literature, such as the emerging working and middle classes..."

Inuyasha droned out the rest of what his teacher was saying, leaving the information to be digested by his furiously twitching ears--it was the perks of being a hanyou; he didn't have to pay attention, but he still memorized every single word related to him. He only began typing notes on his laptop when other students did, mainly because he didn't want to feel more left out than he already was. Either way, he wasn't really paying attention.

Forty-minutes of nonstop talk about pointless literature blab later...

...a small window popped up on the hanyou's screen, interrupting his speedy typing.

* * *

**A/N: SHORTENED!**


	11. School Equals Hell

**A/N: HI! Shortened. **

* * *

**Oh My Gods! 11**

* * *

_...Recap..._

Inuyasha droned out the rest of what his teacher was saying, leaving the information to be digested by his furiously twitching ears--it was the perks of being a hanyou; he didn't have to pay attention, but he still memorized every single word related to him. He only began typing notes on his laptop when other students did, mainly because he didn't want to feel more left out than he already was. Either way, he wasn't really paying attention.

Forty-minutes of nonstop talk about pointless literature blab later...

...a small window popped up on the hanyou's screen, interrupting his speedy typing.

_...End Recap..._

He slowly blinked in confusion and cocked his head to one side as he stared at the window; the title of it was 'Imei Academy Chat'. It was only a few seconds later that he noticed he had just received a chat invite from someone--Kagome had told him about the chat system the academy provided for all registered laptops; of course, they had planned to chat once in a while. However, it was _who_ the message was from that caused him to deeply growl.

Morimotto Yuka.

Inuyasha didn't bother glancing at the human culprit; instead, he accepted the chat invite, if only to see what the hell she wanted.

'Yuka says: So, it turns out that the moron is even more stupid than I thought.' Inuyasha furrowed his eye brows and bit his lip--he couldn't afford to lose control of himself in a heavily populated area, unless he wanted Sesshoumaru to kill him. Seriously, his brother hadn't been joking when he threatened him earlier...

'Inuyasha says: What the hell do you want, bitch?'

'Yuka says: You know what I want. After your little escapade today, I'm sure Kagome won't be able to stand even being near you.'

The hanyou halted at that. What was she talking about?! Why wouldn't his fiancée want to be near him? What had he done?! All he had said the whole entire class period was his name, who his fiancée was, and what he liked the most. That's it. Was that illegal in the mortal realm? Or rather...social suicide? Not that he knew what it meant.

'Inuyasha says: Keh! Don't talk shit! What do _you_ know about Kagome?'

'Yuka says: Unlike you, asshole, I've known her since Kindergarten! You just embarrassed her in front of our entire class! If I were her, I'd dump your ass in a second!' Inuyasha blinked. _Embarrassed her? I didn't embarrass her..._

'Inuyasha says: Fuck you! I didn't embarrass her! So what, now I cant say she's my fiancée, which is true by the way?'

'Yuka says: You goddamn idiot! No one in the school knows about you two miraculously being together, until _now_ that is. News is gonna spread like wild fire and she'll never hear the end of it. Seriously, if I were her, I'd dump your ass.'

Kagome wouldn't do that to him right? No, she couldn't--their marriage was arranged. Her mother was adamant about her getting married to him; she couldn't use such a stupid excuse to not go through with it. Even so...what if she spent the rest of her life holding a grudge against him? Was he really...a walking humiliation to her? _Fuck it all! I won't listen to what this bitch says! _Though, his fiancée was still pissed off at him...was _that _the reason why?

'Inuyasha says: Fuck off already! I know you hate me for whatever reason, but you don't have to be in mine and Kagome's business all the time!'

'Yuka says: But I do because she's my friend, and I only want what's best for her--oh, and incase you're too stupid to figure it out, that doesn't mean you. Just what are you going to offer her, anyway? Humiliation? No wait, let me guess--tons of ramen!'

That one really hit home. What _was_ he going to offer her? Sure, she was his intended mate, but did that mean he automatically loved her and vice versa? No. He had all the riches in the world, he had a title, but in a realm that wasn't his home, it all meant nothing. All he was here was a hanyou, a 'stupid' hanyou. An imbecile. What did an imbecile have to offer someone like Kagome?

'Inuyasha says: Listen, I could care less what you have to say because in the end, I'm still gonna marry Kagome.'

'Yuka says: I figured as much. It's sad that you're taking her away from all the good guys out there, like Houjo. Did you know he's going to become a doctor? They get paid a lot of money. AND, he comes from a wealthy family. How about you, mechanic boy?'

_Mechanic?! _Inuyasha knew what that was and there was no way he was anything like that! He hated those four-legged demons or cars whatever they were! _And who the hell is Hobo?! _

'Inuyasha says: You don't even know the slightest thing about me, bitch, so don't assume you're a fucking genius. As if I care about that Hobo whimp--I can beat his ass any day!'

'Yuka: And you think Kagome wants a guy who would willingly beat someone's ass? Don't think too hard about this.'

_Would...she?_ The hanyou recalled the events of this morning, what had happened with Kouga...he had lost himself. He hardly remembered what he had done until he was soaked with water! Only _then_ did he find out that he had been strangling the wolf! But...Kagome had witnessed that fight...she had seen his darker self...he had almost gone into a killing field. Did she...was disgusted with him now?

He sighed and placed left his hand over his right forearm...over a burn that was still sore. Where had he gotten that burn? It was fairly fresh... Heck, he didn't remember anything that had occured earlier. And the burn...the red burn that marred his sun-kissed skin...was in the shape of a hand--no, _two_ hands. _It couldn't have been Kouga, his hands are bigger than that. Then the only one left is...Kagome? _Possibly...she _was_ a miko. _Did she have to use her powers to stop me? Gods...she must think I'm a monster... _

'Inuyasha says: Go eat shit and leave me the hell alone! Nothing you say will change my mind!' _Not like my opinion could change anything, in the first place..._

'Yuka says: Whatever. Just remember that Kagome is nothing like you and she deserves someone who shares her ideals. Someone who doesn't _humiliate_ her like you did. Someone she'd be proud to tell everyone, "Hey, that's my fiancé!" Tell me, has she told anyone about you? Do you think she would've told me, Ayumi, and Eri about you if we hadn't seen you before hand?'

_Ding! Ding! Ding! _

The bell marked the end of the first period, and Inuyasha was the first one to slam his laptop shut before bolting out of the classroom. He didn't even glance back at Yuka, or waited for Kagome--hell, he didn't know _where _he was going! But one thing he did know. One thing he at last realized.

His heart, mind, and soul cried in unison. They released pent up tears that he just couldn't muster physically. They howled in response to the agony threatening to consume him at the moment. Why?

Because he realized...that everything that Yuka bitch said was true.

**

* * *

**

"Why would you say something like that in front of our class?!"

"I already told you why, wench! I didn't know what he wanted me to say!"

"Certainly not that I'm your fiancée! What were you thinking?!"

"What's so wrong about that?! Why shouldn't I say that you're my fiancée?"

"Because...argh! You're such an idiot!!"

"Oh yeah, blame it all on the fucking hanyou! Gods know that I'm too stupid for you!"

"_Now_ what in the world are you talking about?!"

"Nothing! Absolutely nothing!"

Kagome and Inuyasha were once again arguing, but luckily they found a secluded area where no one would intrude on them. Well...maybe not _so_ secluded. It was currently the third period of the day, and after a whole period of doing nothing except for playing with his laptop's mouse, the hanyou was just about to explode with pent up energy. So it was only godsent that when he arrived at his History class, the wench he was engaged to suddenly rounded on him about earlier. No one was in the room, yet what did they care?

The miko glared at her fiancé, trying to figure out what had him so pissy. _She_ was supposed to be the angry one--_she _was the one who had been embarrassed! He was the new student, no one cared much about him yet, but _she_ was well-known because of her grades as well as her community work, and now everyone thought she was a common slut who was getting married for the same reason why all seventeen-year olds _had _to marry: she got pregnant.

Did she _look_ pregnant to anyone?!?!

However, Inuyasha was being the _biggest _asshole in the world! Hell, she had done _nothing _to him! They hadn't even talked to each other during study hall last period! So when she demanded an explanation, he immediately went into defensive mode as if she was trying to steal his money or something!

Sheesh--she had a right to be mad; walking down the hall _without_ a student she's never seen before gossiping about her would be a sheer miracle! It won't take much longer for a rumor to develop...next thing she knew, she was going to be pregnant with triplets, working at a local bar as a stripper, and living on a farm in the middle of nowhere! Was that a good way to spend her senior year of high school?

**NO!!! **

Then why couldn't he understand that?

"Look, Inuyasha, I just want you to know that telling people we're engaged is **not** good! You can't just go prancing around narrating our personal lives to students you _don't_ even know!" Why couldn't he understand something so simple? Why did he want to complicate their lives more than it already was? Wasn't it enough that she had to get married at eighteen?!

The hanyou's frown remained in place as he literally glared acid at the wall he didn't remove his eyes from. Evidently, he couldn't even look at Kagome without feeling the urge to claw at his chest in a fruitless attempt to relieve the damn...damn ache! Didn't she know that this conversation was killing him from the inside out? Hmph, of course not.

"Then, _please_, Queen Kagome, Mistress of All Intelligent Souls, why don't you tell this _poor_ and _stupid_, incompetent _half-breed_ what he should say? Hmm? That he was raised in a cornfield? That he had to struggle to pay for a little grain of rice that would be his breakfast, lunch, and dinner?"

She incredulously stared at him with her mouth agape in shock. "W-What's wrong with you...?" She couldn't believe that this was her pompous fiancé speaking right now. Her anger soon spiked again. "What the hell is wrong with you?!"

"Oh nothing much, excluding the fucking fact that my fiancée is acting like a damn Bitch From Hell!"

"Are you trying to get back at me or something?" Kagome was trying to grasp the hanyou's reasoning; she wanted to know what he was thinking, but of course, she didn't have that ability. "You enjoy it, don't you? That's the only reason I can think of for your current ass-ness! You _enjoy_ it when I get laughed at by our entire class!"

"Like hell I do!"

"Not only do people think I'm pregnant now--no thanks to you--but _supposedly_, my future husband is a ramen-loving garbage man! Gods know you don't need an education to be a garbage man! How do you _think_ that makes me feel?!"

Did he believe that people gossiping about him made her happy? That hearing people call him an idiotic loser was amusing? No! It _hurt _because they didn't even _know_ him to talk like that. Why, for the love of gods, couldn't he comprehend that?! _Why_ was he jumping to insane conlusions?! What the hell was with the sudden pity talk?!

_Hmph, so she is ashamed of me._ That thought actually...bothered him. And as always, Inuyasha covered up his sentiments with anger. "What? Miss Pretty Princess doesn't like to get made fun of? Dear lord! It's the horror! Lady Kagome is getting laughed at! Guess what, Kagome--it's something called **life!** You think being a hanyou is a piece of cake? That just because I'm a prince, everything for me is easy? Well, dammit--**IT'S FUCKING NOT!!** I used to get bea--"

Silence ensued as one of the two didn't know what to say as the other realized that he had said too much. Soon enough, Kagome sighed, finally putting a reign on her fury. She wanted to understand Inuyasha, she _really_ did. But how could she when he shut himself off? Why had he even interrupted his own sentence before he got to his point? "You used to get what, Inuyasha?"

_If he decides to recluse himself, then it proves it._ But it proves what?

The hanyou narrowed his eyes, still not directly looking at his fiancée. "It's none of your business, wench. Fuck. Off." There was no way in hell that he was going to relive those past memories. Why couldn't he forget them? Why the hell could he forget Kagome, but not his most painful experiences?! The ones that he would...would carry to his grave, at least. _Why?_

**"AAARGH!!! **This is why we argue so much! Here I am trying to comprehend your 'ingenious' mind, and you throw it all in my face with 'it's none of your business'!" She was going to kill someone at this rate! All this anger, all these negative feelings--where did they come from? "I have **had** it with you and your damn attitude! I wish I never--"

"You wish you never what?" His voice was deadly calm, but it wasn't evilly calm, at least.

Kagome's blazing chocolate eyes at last met vibrant gold in a battle of wills. "I wish I never kissed you. I wish I never remotely cared about you. Furthermore," the miko stepped closer towards the hanyou, twistedly satisfied by the expression of pure shock and hurt that crossed his face for a split second, "I wish I never met you, Inuyasha."

"Higurashi! Is it true that you're pregnant with quintuplets and your fiancé's a hobo who lost all his money gambling for ramen?" The miko and hanyou glared at the obnoxious male teen, who had interrupted their heated argument by randomly entering the classroom without warning. Inuyasha kehed, moving to the other side of the room, far away from his fiancée, and wasted no time to pull out his laptop.

Kagome just kept on glaring at her classmate until he got the hint and fled for his life.

**

* * *

**

It was lunch time.

Hurray.

Inuyasha blankly stared at the numerous round tables covering the large expanse of grassy land belonging to the academy, which also sat in between the high school and the college buildings. His eyes then shifted to the lunch tray he held in his hands, taking in the sight--as well as the pleasant scent--of ramen; yes, the cafeteria had ramen! But...his ears drooped when he looked up again, and he searched for somewhere to sit.

He was pretty much abandoned. Yup. He felt like a true orphan with no home, no friends, and no loving parents that would console him. After their 'fight', Kagome had done her best to avoid him. Sure, he helped her with that because he didn't really want to deal with annoying wenches at the moment. Though...now what? He spotted her laughing at something her dense friend--Ayumi, right?--had said in a far table to his left. She was surrounded by her trio of friends, the very image of an inseparable chain.

A chain _he_ wasn't welcomed in.

The hanyou soon sighed and started walking to any random yet empty table, just so that he wouldn't seem like a total outcast on display for all to ridicule. After five periods of back to back classes, he had to say that he was tired of it. He _hated_ this school. All he wanted to do was go back to the immortal realm, the place where he could release his energy in his usual volatile manner without it being wrong. But _no_, he was forced to stay here. Why? Because he was engaged to a woman who wished she never even met him.

_Gods, my life is depressing._ He raked a hand through his unruly silver bangs, staring into his overly large bowl of beef-flavored ramen. _Hell, I don't even have the will to eat ramen. _Something must be _definitely_ wrong with him.

"Inuyasha!" The half-immortal immediately perked up at his name being called and looked to his right to see that a much more jovial--and most importantly, sane--Rin was jogging towards his table. He offered her a sort of relieved smirk and moved his bag away so that she could take a seat beside him.

However...he first scrutinized the gaudy neon pink polka-dotted scarf wrapped tightly around her neck...which did not match her navy uniform whatsoever. "Hey, Rin. What's up with the scarf? It's...colorful."

The teen blushed profusely. "Yeah, well...it was my last resort. I needed something to cover 'it' up." At the confused look she was given, she sighed as her hands began to abashedly fiddle with the hem of her short pleated skirt. "You know, the...the hickey that was, well _is_, on my neck..."

"What the hell is a hickey?"

"You mean to tell me that you read an entire dictionary and you _still_ don't know what a hickey is?!" Rin shook her head and tsked. "It's a lovebite, my friend."

Inuyasha's eyes widened when he at long last realized just _what_ his brother had been doing with his fiancée in the morning. All he could think was...damn! "That's one hideous lovebite, or 'hickey' whatever! Why would my bastard of a brother do something like that? It's not part of his usual necking routine."

"Because it's his claim on me and he's an asshole, that's why! Argh!! He gets all possessive and crap just because I was talking lovey dovey about Meimori! It's not like I'm _really_ going to run off with him! Sorry, but I don't go for weird vampire guys that suck my blood!"

The hanyou consented that the idea _was_ a little far-fetched. "Keh! Anyway, aren't you supposed to be at the apartment instead of at school?" He eyed her knowingly when she gulped, and he smirked in triumph. He knew that his overprotective brother wouldn't let her run around in her 'condition'...

"Yeah...but I just couldn't let Sesshoumaru win! I _know_ he gave me a hickey because I would be too embarrassed to go out in public, yet I showed him, alright! Ugh, I wish I had another scarf, though..." Rin frowned at the appalling garment. It was the first thing people saw when she walked down the halls... _Now I'm more of a misfit than I already was. _She sighed in dismay. _Oh well, still better than showing off a huge hickey. I don't need whore to be added to people's lists of insults for me. _

It took her a while to notice that a certain miko was nowhere in sight... "Hm, where's Kagome? I thought she'd be sitting with you--it _is_ your first day after all." Rin cocked her head at the solemn expression that took over Inuyasha's face, and she blinked.

_Did I say something wrong? _She looked around the outdoor cafeteria in search of the raven-haired teen, and spotted her among her friends. _She left Inuyasha all by himself knowing that he's new? No way...she can't be _that _cruel! Something must've happened between them..._

"Let me guess, you guys got into a fight?" The hanyou only nodded as he twirled a fork in his untouched ramen. The teen beside him mentally noted that it must have been a really bad fight. "Do you want to tell me about it?"

And so, Inuyasha told Rin all about the fight, including his introduction first period to what she said to him third period. He bore his soul to her, strangely not feeling any need to hold back information--hell, he even told her about Yuka's meddling. In simple terms, he trusted her in ways he didn't trust any one else, and they've known each other for only a short period of time! It comforted him how closely she listened without interrupting him, like a true friend who wanted to help him with his problems; now he could truly say that she was like a younger sister to him.

The cinnamon-eyed teen kept nodding throughout his whole story, not even bothering to begin taking spoonfuls of her chicken noodle soup until he finished. "Keh! It's like she's freakin' ashamed of me, and she has the fucking _nerve _to complain about being made fun of! As if I enjoy her getting ridiculed--_I'm_ not like that! Does she think _I_ haven't gone through the same--hell, I've been through so much worse that Miss Pretty Princess would've _died_ had she been in my place!"

"Wow, that was one pretty intense argument right there!" Inuyasha only folded his arms on the table, holding his head up with his hand as he blankly stared at his brother's fiancée. "I see your first day so far is pure hell."

"You can say that again."

Rin sighed. "Come on, do you really think that Kagome of all people would be ashamed of _anyone_, much less you? Do you really think that she could be so cruel?"

The hanyou pondered it since he was now able to think past anger to think rationally about his situation. He conceded that the wench was a bitch who liked to argue with him, stuck up for herself and others, and was just simply all around...nice. Would she truly be ashamed of him, or was he jumping to conclusions due to past experiences? Perhaps he really was being biased, making up her true feelings on the matter with what he expected her to feel. But she wasn't like others...deep down inside, he knew that.

"...I...I guess not." His ears drooped as the big bold word 'ASS' shot through his mind. "Ok, so I fucked things up...but still...she didn't have to be such a bitch about it! She didn't have to...she could've..."

"She should've understood you, is that what you're trying to say?" Rin smiled gently when her fiance's brother merely nodded. "But how could she have understood you, Inuyasha? How could she when she doesn't even know half the things you've been through?"

His silence prompted her to continue. "Kagome has it all--friends, a family that cares for her, students that admire her--and I don't think she's ever been made fun of before, or at least have someone close to her be mocked. She's not _used _to having rumors about her or her friends, she's not _used_ to being thought lowly of--and obviously, she's not prepared for it. Right now, she _only_ wants someone to blame, and that person is unfortunately you. I mean, you did start this whole mess..."

"But I did nothing wrong! I'm not a damn psychic! How the hell was _I_ supposed to know that she didn't want anyone to know that I'm her fiancé? What the fuck am I to her, then?!" The hanyou hardly knew what to make of his ordeal and he couldn't comprehend what was so bad about people knowing that he was her fiancé. So what if people did get a laugh out of it--rumors fade and they could ignore what was said about them!

"I know you're innocent, Inuyasha, and of course you're still her fiancé--not even Kagome can change that. Though, like I said, she doesn't know how to handle this situation, so she's blaming you. I'm sure she didn't mean whatever she said; soon enough she'll regret her words, and so will you." Rin's tender smile had yet to vanish as she sipped her cup of peach tea. "Time is everything. Right now, she won't talk to you. Give her some time, and she'll come around."

Inuyasha rolled his eyes, but he found reason in her words and decided to trust Rin's judgment. Though, he found it remarkable that a bubbly person like her had so much insight and wisdom. Where did she get it from? "How do you know just what to say, Rin? How do you know what Kagome's thinking? How do you know what _I'm_ thinking?"

She shrugged. "It's simple because I've known people like Kagome before, people who are nothing like me." The half-immortal just kept staring at her; evidently, he didn't believe her. "I'm serious--we're totally two different people with two different minds. Believe it or not, Inuyasha, but I've been through a lot of what you've been through."

"Don't joke around, Rin!" He chuckled, skeptical of her words. Heh, as if she, a carefree person would know the troubles of being someone like _him_. "If you even remotely know what I've been through, you wouldn't be so kind. Then again, you _can_ be a psychotic bitch..."

She giggled in agreement, yet soon sobered. "No, really." Blank stare. "Alright, I'll tell you my 'heartbreaking' story. My parents were killed by house raiders along with my older twin brothers when I was six. After that, I was sent to an orphanage. I hated it, to put it simply." The teen sat back in her chair and glanced up at the azure blue sky, completely immersed in her childhood memories. They weren't good ones, either.

"What happened after that?" _So, she's an orphan, huh? _Inuyasha hadn't known such a thing about the lively teen. _How can she still be so...so happy after losing her family at a young age? _He definitely hadn't been able to.

"Nothing, really. I was never adopted, and all the other kids instantly hated me. I was different then them--you know why? Because I didn't _want_ to be like them. They were all sad and pitiful, but me? No, I was always dancing and laughing and giggling." She silently consented that much hadn't changed about her. "And due to my 'frivolousness', they made fun of me. There wasn't one kid who didn't tell me in my face that I was weird and/or crazy."

"And you didn't do anything?" Inuyasha was sure he would've pounded their heads in!

Rin shook her head. "Not like I could have done something--I was mute until I hit eight. So, I only smiled at them. Nothing they said ever bothered me, and I think they hated that more than anything else about me. They just couldn't understand why I was so happy all the time when I had lost everything dear to me--they thought I was a disgrace to all orphans for not honoring my family's memory. So...instead of ridiculing me and playing various pranks on me...they beat me."

**"WHAT?!"** He couldn't believe this! She was beaten?! What the hell?!

"Yup. The women who worked in the orphanage didn't really care because I wasn't going to get adopted, anyway. When we'd all play outside, the older kids would come and kick me, hit me, punch me...anything to just get a reaction out of me. I still smiled at them."

Inuyasha was dumbfounded. "You must be a saint..."

The teen laughed. "It seems like it! But, in order not to think about all of that stuff, I spent my time studying, so much to the point that I was considered...well, _smart_. So then, a year before I would be released from the orphanage at eighteen, I applied to this academy and...you know the rest!"

The hanyou intently listening to her story felt, however, that she was leaving details out...some important details that she just couldn't bring herself to talk about, but he would leave it at that. He wasn't so brave as to talk about his past, anyway. "I guess we are alike, as you say."

"Hmm, to a point. Anyway...I know for certain that Kagome would break under this pressure. You know, she's not the only one with rumors about her, you're a prime target, too, and I think that's what has her so angry. I've already heard that you're part of the Yakuza smuggling in ramen from Mongolia."

His eye twitched at that...rumor. "Keh, I thought I was a garbage man."

Rin stifled a giggle--it was amazing how the hanyou disregarded people ridiculing him like that._ Yeah, we are alike. _She smiled at the irony of it and continued with her point. "Face it, Inuyasha, your fiancee is a people person, unlike us."

"Us? Don't you mean...me?"

"Nope! However nice I may be, I still prefer solitude over companionship. That's why I'm a misfit."

"We can be misfits together..." Inuyasha sighed, and at long last the world was not going to end because he stopped playing with his food and began to actually eat his ramen! Yes, he was shoveling it in his mouth like normal! Even though it was already cold...

"That's great! Oh, what did you think of the Calculus test?" Rin finished eating her chicken soup and put her attention on her friend once again. Gods, just thinking about that Calculus test...it was...the horror... Not to mention that attending her History class was all in vain since her teacher _still_ took fifteen points off because she had been one minute late. _One_ freakin' minute late.

"I didn't have to take it since I don't know what the hell's going on in that class."

"Huh?! Are you telling me that _you_ didn't have to take it, but _I_ did, even if I still skipped class! _Even_ if I was ready to keel over! That old geezer made **me**--the girl who had a blood transfusion--take his _hundred-question _test, but not **you?!" **Rin wanted to take her plastic plate and kill herself with it! She would make killing herself that way possible, dammit! _Oh, that test was so hard!! There goes my miraculous A in that class... _

Inuyasha blinked as the teen randomly started twitching. "Uhh...yeah?" Forget the twitching; she was spasming.

It was thirty minutes into the lunch hour that the hanyou caught a familiar scent coming towards him in a swift speed. His golden amber eyes widened and he wasted no time to turn to Rin before it became too late--oh crap! It was already too late! He looked up and instantly felt bad for the groaning teen next to him...

...but she raised her head after cursing her senile teacher...and she saw...

...oh crap...it was...

...Sesshoumaru.

The dog demon swiftly made his way to his brother's lunch table and calmly took a seat next to his nervous fiancée, setting his briefcase right adjacent to hers prior to placing his lunch tray in front of him. He fixed her with a steady gaze--not once did his frigid honey eyes shift to the neon scarf around her neck. Soon enough, however...he smirked.

Not good.

"Rin..." His voice betrayed nothing, and she suddenly wished that he could at least reveal whether or not he was angry or something! Inuyasha just ignored the couple in favor of finishing his bowl of ramen...

"Y-Yes?" _Please don't murder me in my sleep..._

And the million dollar question was... "Is there a reason why you're not in bed?"

"Um...no?"

"Hn."

Surprisingly, he said nor did nothing more than that. Inuyasha and Rin gaped at him in shock, but he paid no heed as he dipped a tender slice of chicken in delectable teriyaki sauce. Well, his fiancée wasn't going to argue against her luck--she wasn't even going to ask him if he was feeling ill. Though...he had smirked...that meant he was going to do something sinister, right? _There's still a chance of him murdering me in my sleep..._

Nah, he wouldn't get his throne then. That didn't mean, however, he couldn't torture her first... _He might want revenge after throwing a skillet at him _and _slapping him... _She gulped just pondering it.

**"HI SESSHY-KUN!!!"** Sesshoumaru ignored the obnoxious headband girl and took out his wooden chopsticks from the little plastic pouch thing he had been given at the lunch line. He didn't even notice that his fiancee was gritting her teeth as his younger brother tried to calm her down...yup, his teriyaki chicken smelled _that_ good... _It's something that mortals finally did right... _

"Rin, you're not gonna go psychotic on us, right?" Inuyasha was ready to bolt away from the obsidian-haired teen since she was still seething. What had gotten her so mad? He hardly knew.

The teen fixed her cinnamon eyes on the hanyou, who gulped in return. "Don't call me Rin anymore. I'm known as the Headband Slasher now...hehehe..." The half-immortal was too freaked out to respond...

After her random psychoticness waned, and Rin was back to momentarily being sane, she faced the reticent immortal beside her. "Sooo...how was your first day of college, Sesshoumaru?"

The dog demon nonchalantly shrugged his shoulders in response. "Interesting." It was true--his classes today intrigued him in ways he thought were impossible. Perhaps _some_ mortal concepts were worth his time...

Rin was at loss for what to say next. _Wait--what's he studying, anyway? And what grade is he in?_ "I don't even know what you're taking classes about or what your year is...what are you studying while you're here and what's your grade?"

Sesshoumaru's smirk came back. "Business, and I'm a second year." He was curious about the career. It was the cryptic way of killing someone without any bloodshed; all he had to do was strike his opponent where it hurt the most: his pride. How would he accomplish that? Through _business_. He found that he was well-suited for the business world--of course, he was a sadist, what did he care about others?

"That's great...eheh..." _Yeah, the last thing I need is for my fiancé to become a mass company murderer. Hopefully he doesn't plan on staying in the mortal realm for that to be a reality... _She felt sorry for any of the dog demon's future rivals...

The silver-haired immortal finally remembered something he had to tell his inferior half-brother. "Inuyasha, we need to speak later." The hanyou furrowed his eye brows, wondering what would be so important that the bastard wanted to waste his time talking with him.

"Keh! It better be worth my time--I have a ton of homework tonight." There was an odd gleam in Sesshoumaru's eyes as he looked at him that had Inuyasha apprehensive for inexplicable reasons...a gleam that foretold the arrival of...danger... _It's almost as if he's afraid of something...no way, that can't be it....right? _"What do you want to 'speak' about, bastard?"

The gleam in Sesshoumaru's golden honey eyes never wavered. "Meimori."

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**A/N: WOW! I'm evil evil evil evil!!!! MUAHAHAHA!!! I ruin relationships all the time...well, not in real life of course! Heheh...anyway...**

**Next chapters: Inu and Sessh bond...um, while talking about Meimori, and we're skipping ahead a month! I wonder what's coming up soon that has the girls psyched...Should I have told you that? Probably not...**

**Sooo...What could Sesshoumaru want to say about Meimori that has him...afraid? Will Rin's first target be her fiance...or the headband girl? Will Inuyasha and Kagome get back together? Nope! ::looks innocent:: What, I can't spoil the story! Ahem, continuing. Is Kagome's memory coming back to her? When are Miroku and Sango showing up?! Soon...not now...but soon. **

**Stay tuned! I love all my readers and reviewers! Even if you think my story sucks! Meh, I know it does so whatever. **


	12. Coincidence

**A/N: Sorry for the late update--last two months of summer was pretty busy for a person like me who has no life. Thanks to InuToshKibaLover11 for always making sure that I was alive and working! She even helped me making sacrifices to the God of Anti-Writer's Block! THANK YOU! **

**This chappie is not beta read because I'm really, really sick and I wont be able to use the computer for a while, so be thankful that I'm updating without her, even though it hurts me to do so...*sniff sniff* **

**Well, enjoy the chapter, and just a note, pay very close attention to every single word I wrote! It might give you clues about the future of this story...:-D**

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**Oh My Gods! 12**

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Sesshoumaru and Inuyasha stared at each other for a total of ten minutes with neither one of them uttering a single word. No, they were not having a glaring contest--no need to have another damn fly intruding on them--but the expressions on their handsome faces were completely serious. It was not something that the abrasive hanyou did often, though not even in the unbearable silence did he make a move to disrupt it.

Class had finally ended for both high school and college students, and it was currently close to dinner time--if the brothers were looking out the small window of the kitchen instead of at each other, they would have noted that the sky was dark. Their fiancées were no where in sight, nor were they in the apartment in the first place; the two teens had decided to 'bond' while studying for their upcoming Anatomy test at the academy's library.

So obviously, it was the perfect time for Sesshoumaru to 'chit-chat' with his brother.

"As you know," the silver-haired immortal began without notice, surprising Inuyasha out of his stupor, "Meimori has been a threat to us for a long time. He is not a trustworthy member of our family...and he is as ambitious as he is unbridled."

"Keh, that's a given--the asshole never listens to anyone but himself. I kinda feel bad for Uncle and Kizurei." Inuyasha sighed and shook his head. "Yeah, I do know all that. What's up with him that has you so uptight?"

"I had...a...a rather...a..." The hanyou watched with a cocked head as his brother fumbled with the right words to express what he was trying to say. He had never seen Prince Stick-Up-Ass struggle when it came to _anything_, much less this.

_Something must be going on...and if it involves Meimori...it can't be good. _The thought upset him more than what he would ever show. His cousin was dangerous; not many people actually knew what the dark-haired demon god was capable of, _even_ himself... _Especially when for some reason he and Sesshoumaru want to slit each other's throats... _Yeah, nothing involving Meimori was good.

After a few seconds of attempting to assemble his confused thoughts, the dog demon exhaled deeply and just plainly said, "I had a dream."

Inuyasha blinked dumbly. "Wow...so did I...aint that amazing? Can it be the end of the world? Because apparently, dreams aren't normal..."

"Dammit, half-breed! I had a dream that seemed more like a memory!" The half-immortal's golden eyes widened in response to his brother's uncharacteristic outburst, remembering his own dream that he _swore_ had to be a memory, yet was still skeptical about it. Was it a coincidence that Sesshoumaru felt the same way?

"And it dealt with Meimori?" _What does this all mean, then?_

Sesshoumaru raked a clawed hand through his tenuous silver bangs, an act he usually did when he was frustrated or something was bothering him. "Not entirely. Father and I were standing by the sea...I think I was eleven at the time. He was speaking to me about protecting my pack and how I had to beware of Meimori...as if he knew something that I didn't, something about my future...no, _our_ future."

"Gods...not you too..." Inuyasha stared down at the kitchen counter in front of him, seeing past his blurry reflection on the beige table. His mind wandered to snippets of the 'dream' he had, to specific parts dealing with his father's foreboding...

The silver-haired immortal narrowed his eyes, noting the hanyou's abrupt pensiveness. "Explain yourself."

"I had a dream last night, about Dad and I, too. He was telling me about the Tetsusaiga, though, warning me about a third form of it that was dangerous. But...it seemed like he was holding something back...he even cried...and then, in the end, he said he had lied. Not only to me, but to the both of us..."

"And he told me about the Tenseiga...he said that he was going to talk to you about the Tetsusaiga the next day..." The dog demon saw his brother's eyes suddenly enlarge. "What is it now?"

"H-He...he told me he had _that_ conversation with you the day before...which means we had consecutive dreams!" But that was impossible! How the hell did such a thing even occur?! It was too strange that _both_ brothers had a dream about speaking with their father, one after the other...and _both_ about nearly the same topic.

If they _both_ felt like it was a forgotten memory...then perhaps it truly _was_ a forgotten memory...

Sesshoumaru let this information sink in, and he tried to rationalize it. Why would he and Inuyasha unexpectedly have consecutive dreams to begin with? It made absolutely no sense--it wasn't like they had some sort of supernatural connection with each other that made them share dreams! Heck, if that were true, would the half-breed still be alive? Obviously not--he wasn't going to suffer through his inferior's worthless dreams.

Maybe he wouldn't be so incredulous if they had their dreams on _different_ nights, but on the same one...it was...it just appeared like it was _no_ mere coincidence. The foreshadowing in his dream...the denotation of the same occurance in his brother's dream--yes, it _wasn't_ a coincidence.

Their future...was at stake.

"Something strange is happening, not only to us, but to the girls, as well. Have you noticed your miko's increase in power? I'm sure you've had." Inuyasha sighed and nodded, subconciously placing his hand over the fading burn on his forearm as he frequently did when he thought back to that incident. By tomorrow, the scar would be gone, and it wasn't sore anymore, that was a relief, but...

...it was strange, right? A miko spent a lot of time harnessing their spiritual powers until they could use them freely; it was rare for a priestess to pop out and say, 'oh look my hands are glowing! I can suddenly purify demons!' He had known that his fiancée was a miko, but he hadn't actually thought...from what he had observed, she hardly knew how to summon the energy she possessed because she never practiced becoming a miko--her power was innate, that's it.

All of a sudden...this morning Kagome called upon her spiritual energy...Inuyasha was sure that it had been her first time doing such a thing. But why today? Why not yesterday? Or when her life had been in danger that time Meimori and Kizurei showed up? Her emotions could have triggered something _then_--what occured this morning wasn't actually more horrifying then being _stabbed_.

Sesshoumaru was right--Kagome was beginning to show some signs of change...but what about Rin? _What the fuck is happening to us?! Why now of all times?!_

"Keh...duh, I noticed." Inuyasha shook his head to wear off his abrupt meloncholiness. "Ok, so we had dreams...that were like memories. No big deal--it should be a good thing that we're finally remembering our past." He glanced up at his older brother, and he noticed how solemn his face was. "What's up, bastard?"

"Half-breed..." Sesshoumaru began in a deep whisper, seemingly overwhelmed by an unknown emotion that had his inferior baffled as well as apprehensive--when that bastard actually showed emotion, _everyone_ had to worry, "...in our dreams, I was eleven, and you were eight."

What did their ages have to do with anything? "So what?"

"Father...father was there...but he had died two years earlier."

"W-What?" Time stopped for Inuyasha as the new information attempted to process through his frenzied mind. A large lump formed in his throat, rendering his speech useless while his trembling hands held his weightless head up--he was in shock.

He swore his dream was a memory...yet...yes, he remembered now. There were two ways that an immortal can be killed or disposed of: one was by sealing him or her, and most of the time, the sealer destroyed the object. Another...was by using a dimension weapon crafted by Chronos, an immortal god of time and realms. It was the only thing that erode the barrier around an immortal preventing any kind of death caused by an fatal wound; such a weapon scared many, hell even himself...not that he couldn't _already_ die from a mortal wound...

However...his father was killed by a dimension blade.

He had been _six_ when that happened.

And in his dream...his father had spoken to him...had lectured him...when he was _eight_.

"What does it mean? That our dreams really are just...dreams? Meaningless images that our minds just randomly drew up? Or...or..." He couldn't even think of an alternate explanation in his frazzled state. Besides, there had yet to be a logical justification as to _why_ their dreams were subseqeunt to the other.

But...he then recalled the events of the past few days and growled low in his throat. Adding the unanticipated visit of his dear cousins and their quest for blood, not just his and his brother's blood, but their fiancée's as well, sent Inuyasha deeper into a black abyss. His family was more or less estranged--it was also not a mere conicidence that out of nowhere his uncle desired blood..._their_ blood. _Something weird is going on and I don't like it one bit. _

Why did he get the abrupt ill feeling that they all knew something he was missing?

Meanwhile, Sesshoumaru felt like tearing apart the kitchen in search of answers, if that was seemingly possible. He was beyond frustrated--he had been reasoning his 'dream' the entire day and he came up with nothing! If it was just his mind creating drabble, then why did the information related to him seem so important? How could his brain conjure up such a vivid, detailed image of his father warning him of what was to come with realistic dialogue as well?

_Why can't there be at least _one_ lucid fact in all this madness?! _He loathed not knowing something! _I will not be toyed with. Forget the fallaciousness of the dreams--if I'm being warned of danger, then it's best that I regard it. _Which was more important: his and his pack's safety, or wasting valuable time finding sense in the virtually unknown?

Thence...his mind drifted back to a specific part of his dream...the part that struck him the most...the part that screamed his father's presentiment. He _needed _to know what he was being warned of...what his father hadn't wanted him to know...

...what was coming after him in the near future...

_...Flashback to Last Night's Dream..._

"Father, what is it that you wish to speak with me about? My lessons are in an hour."

The eleven-year old immortal boy quirked his dark eye brow at his tall father's back, clad in only a simple white and blue haori with no bulky black armor in sight. He distracted himself by watching his father's long silver tresses dancing along with the wind, vying to be released from the purple ribbon sweeping them upward in a high pony tail. Soon enough, he became bored and payed attention to his surroundings.

He was ontop of a high cliff overseeing the ocean not too far from the grand palace he resided in, and to top it all off, he was more or less re-enacting a statue since his father had yet to acknowledge him. The salty scent of marine water from the wide, open sea far to his right bit at his sensitive nostrils, causing his nose to twitch uncomfortably from time to time--and curse those giant seagulls!

_They stink worse than Inuyasha._ He inwardly smirked at that. Either way, his father, King of Makai, had dragged him out here in the early hours of the morning and had yet to say a word to him; the sun was only beginning to peek from behind the broad horizon, though here he was...standing around. _Did father forget that I have lessons today again? _

He sighed in dismay. _Is he ever going to remember? Probably not. _

"Sesshoumaru." The younger dog demon perked up at his name being called, though his expression remained collected and...rather stoic--it just came natural to him, even at his young age of eleven. "Do you have something to protect?"

"Something to protect?" He echoed, wondering what nonsense was spewing out of his father's mouth. "Why should I waste my time protecting when I can be conquering?"

InuTaishou exhaled deeply, but he still kept his back to his eldest son. "And your pack? Would you not give your life to salvage your comrads, your people?"

"Of course, father," Sesshoumaru answered without hesitation, his golden honey eyes taking on a fierce, determined glint, "I would gladly die for my pack. It is the duty of an inuyoukai."

"Forget duty--is it what _you_ desire?" He was met with utter silence. "If someone in your pack was threatened, would you rise and defend him or her? Would you die for your pack in thoughts of glory, or that you had saved your loved ones?"

What was with all the questions? Was he brought out here as a test of his faith and ability to one day take the king's place? If that was the case, then he would pass with no effort. "Yes, father, I would defend my pack's honor no matter the cost."

"You did not answer my question." InuTaishou alas slightly tilted his head so that he was glancing down at his son from out of the corners of his eyes. Even though he could only see half his face, the younger demon knew that his father was not taking this conversation lightly. "Tell me, son, who is in your pack?"

He blinked multiple times. What kind of absurd prompt was that?! "There's you...and my mother," thinking of her caused a bitter growl to rumble his chest that did not go unnoticed by his father, but he suppressed it in order to continue, "I suppose since Izayoi is your mate, then she _has_ to be in my pack..."

After that, the boy was at loss for what to say next. He just couldn't bring himself to add on to his list of pack members...and his father knew exactly why.

"And your brother? His best friend, Kagome?" The ruler of the Western Lands now completely turned around and stared his son down with serious golden amber eyes. Sesshoumaru gazed back in slight confusion and disgruntlement at having to admit that his brother--heck, even his sometimes annoying friend--was in his pack. But, what he said next blew his apathetic expression away.

"Is Rin in your pack, Sesshoumaru?"

"Of _course_ she is! If **anything** happened to her, I'd--" He stopped himself in mid sentence, realizing that he had been tricked into submission--his father was clever! The immortal boy scowled and regained his impassive composure, crossing his arms defiantly. "I mean, she isn't really an important member. What can an eight-year old human do for me?"

"That, I leave up to you." InuTaishou hid a secret smile, knowing just how much he was irking his pup. "So then, if I tell you that those closest to you will be threatened, will you react?"

"Yes." His steady gaze didn't waver one bit. Though, what was his father alluding to?

"If I tell you that someone will cause harm upon you, will you react?"

What was that? _Who would be so foolish? _"Yes."

"If I tell you that Meimori will take what is yours, will you react?"

"Ye--wait, what?!" Sesshoumaru was once again baffled at what his father had uttered with such gravity that for one second, he expected the king to erupt into a fit of laughter like the last time he played a joke on his 'all-too-serious' son. But, ke kept on waiting...and waiting...patiently waiting for something that would not occur. Then...was what he was saying....true?

"My son, how do you feel about your cousin Meimori?" InuTaishou asked in a voice much deeper than his own, husky in a way that had his whelp too dazed for words.

After a minute, the immortal boy replied, "I detest his existence."

"For what reason?"

Sesshoumaru narrowed his eyes and nearly bared his fangs at his father--his father! He had to control his anger if he wanted to escape punishment. "He hates me because I'm the crown prince. He thinks that it should've been his birthright, not mine..."

There was something else that he was not saying... "And what else?" The eleven-year old sighed at having been caught.

"He likes Rin."

"How do you know?" That was a little tid bit the king hadn't known...no, that was a lie.

"He's always staring at her with a weird look on his face, and when I'm not there, he shows up out of nowhere and starts talking to her. I confronted him about this--Rin's just too nice to make him leave her alone, and she's too young for him, anyway."

"All right..." InuTaishou was struggling to understand how his son's angry mind was working. "So, you feel that he shouldn't be near her without you present..."

"Exactly. Who knows what a twelve-year old immortal could want with an eight-year old little human girl?" Sesshoumaru found it absurd that his older cousin liked his friend. He rather swallow a ball of flame than allow Meimori any where near Rin!

"True...you said you confronted him, what did he say?"

"That he is able to do as he pleases and I can't keep her just for myself. The nerve of him! I was Rin's friend first and it's going to _stay_ that way!" When did he become so possessive of her? He had only known her for a year... "I think he's just trying to get revenge on me because he likes Kagura but she likes me. Not that I care anyway..."

Spectuacular--his eleven-year old son was _already_ involved in a love triangle...or love square. "If you say that's he's merely using Rin for revenge, then are you willing to protect her from your own cousin?"

His son's anger subsided with the question as he asked himself over and over again. _Would_ he truly protect her? Was he going to admit that he actually...for once in his life...he could care about someone other than himself? That he was finally letting go...letting go of all his neglect by someone he had dearly loved only to be backstabbed?

Perhaps. "I bring her here for a reason that only I will ever know. My efforts would be wasted if I let Meimori get too close." He nodded encouragingly in tune with his words.

His father sighed, temporarily satisfied with his son's answer, albeit the fact that he _did_ know why he brought Rin to the immortal realm from time to time...and why he disappeared to the mortal realm to visit the girl. It was an odd friendship, however, that he probably would never completely comprehend. "Now, would you also protect your brother?"

Why did the hanyou have to be involved in this? What did _he_ have to do with Meimori? "Yes, since he's incapable of doing it himself." It nearly killed him to say it, but oh well.

"Then I ask you again, pup. Do you have something to protect?"

Sesshoumaru smirked. "No, father." The king visibly stiffened. Then their entire conversation was all for nil?! But, his son elabortated. "I have _someone_ to protect. Or rather, some _people_."

Finally they were getting somewhere! "Protect what is yours for as long as you live, my son. Always be on your guard and follow your instincts--they perceive details that you do not. If you do not like Meimori's closeness with Rin, then by all means forbid it. However..."

"However, what?"

"However...beware of Meimori." His silver-haired son furrowed his eye brows in confusion. Hadn't he managed that already? "He is an ambitious pup...when he sees something he desires, he will not hesitate to seize it."

Sesshoumaru realized that he meant Rin. "I won't allow it. He would never win against me if I challenge him."

"Yes, I'm aware of your growing strength. Though, we both know Meimori will not simply yield to your command. Instead, he will create alliances for his own personal gain, with or without his father's approval. Alliances...with evil people."

The younger demon refrained from cocking his head like an adorable, baffled puppy. "I don't understand."

"All you need to know...is that if he is so fearless, Meimori will bring forth a great evil--an immense danger to the lives of all those in the immortal realm. Sesshoumaru, that evil is one that will come after not only you, but your brother and those you acknowledge as your pack. This great evil brings us into our next topic, the Tenseiga."

The younger remembered that his father had briefly mentioned the use of the Tenseiga--it was to destroy this evil. Then...there was no uncertainty that Meimori would turn against his father and awaken this adversary; it truly _was_ going to happen. And he would be prepared. "Have no worries, father. Nothing and no one can defeat this Sesshoumaru. And he will defend his pack to the very end, even if it costs him his life."

His father...just stood in front of him, appearing regal as always...an imposing figure honored by all. This was his idol, his role model--he wanted to be as strong as his father one day; no, he wanted to _surpass_ him. He wanted to take control of the Western Lands, he wanted to make demons all around the region cower in fear--Sesshoumaru wanted to live for centuries to create a prosperous empire he could call his own.

And the current King of Makai was aware of it.

Therefore, when he answered his son, he was also igniting the pup's dreams. "Yes, my son, you will fight to the very end...and do not think that it will cost you your life...I trust, that you will be the most supereminent ruler of my lands."

The proud eleven-year old boy...never noticed...that he had just been lied to.

_...End Flashback... _

After that, his father had explained, in depth, the importance of his 'heavenly' sword, the Tenseiga, and he also mentioned a second form of it--not that he had payed much attention. Yet...the presentiment that had rolled off of the elder demon in waves never ceased--his son took notice throughout the entire lecture. The deceased King of Makai had kept a deep, dark secret.

He just didn't understand it. Not one bit. What was this evil that Meimori would awaken? And if what Inuyasha had said was true, then his father had lied to him...he hadn't believed that he would survive fighting against this foe. Sesshoumaru was certain that no one could be more powerful than him; he was a complete demon, the strongest of the strongest, a crown prince, a demon god, a dexterous immortal--did he need to add on?

Why would his father think such a foolish thing?! As if he was ever going to lose a battle! That would be the day he declared his undying love for his brother!

...hopefully that would never happen...

_Either way,_ Sesshoumaru thought, recalling his recent meeting with Meimori and how the bastard...treatedRin, _father's warning will not be forgotten. Even though I now live in this realm, I must always be on my guard...especially since Meimori knows where I reside. _Imagining what his cousin was able to do with that kind of knowledge unnerved him.

"Hey, bastard..." The dog demon raised his head, peering at his younger brother with half-lidded honey eyes, "...do you remember what happened to me a year ago? Did I go into battle or something?"

_What is he mumbling about?_ "Why do you ask?" The question was sudden--why would his brother want such irrelevant information? Besides, when did _he_ pay attention to what battles that nitwit fought? Though, it was peciluar for the hanyou to look so distraught over it, as though he absolutely _needed_ to know or else it would kill him. That was the only reason why he decided to listen closely.

Inuyasha sighed. He knew that it was abrupt...the urge to find some confirmation to what he had been told...however, if someone knew about his memory loss... "You know my retainer, Myouga, right? The helluva annoying flea?" Sesshoumaru nodded stiffly. "Well, at some point, I couldn't remember some things, like what happened the day before, or where I was--you know, stuff like that. I just...I just woke up one morning and I couldn't remember anything. That was about one year ago."

The dog demon moved his gaze back to the kitchen table, also acknowledging the fact that a strong sense of dejavu was overwhelming him as Inuyasha spoke. Why did his brother's tale sound like...hell, that was the same thing that happened to him one day...exactly one year ago... "Continue."

Reassured that his brother was paying attention, the hanyou abided and proceeded, growing even more skeptical of his own story with each word he uttered. "Myouga told me that I suffered a concussion during a battle, and as a result, I got amnesia. But...I asked around, and no one knew of a battle. Was I the only one who fought it? Or did...did something else happen?" _Had Myouga lied to me for the first time in his life? _

Sesshoumaru responded with silence as his mind diligently worked to run through his current memories. Now he knew why his brother had inquired about a battle; he, as future Lord of the Western Lands, should know of any skirmishes in his kingdom, even if it was merely a small dispute. However...that hardly concerned him. What made him anxious now, what had his pale skin growing colder with each passing second...was the fact that the same thing that had happened to Inuyasha...

...happened to him, too.

He remembered not being able to recall anything of the day prior, or who he even was. It took a while, but soon enough, his memories began to come to him...which was why he thought little of not being able to remember Rin. Though, once more...it wasn't a coincidence that the same thing yet again happened to both himself and his younger brother! It was _not_ plausible that they would exclaim 'oh my gods, what a coincidence! I supposedly got amensia from a battle I don't even remember, too! Let's sit down and talk about it over tea!'

So...there must have been some kind of conspiracy against them...and he somehow felt that his uncle was involved in it...

After a few minutes of complete silence, Inuyasha twitched his perk ears in annoyance. Was there a reason why his bastard of a brother was not answering his simple question?! If he was as omniscient as he goaded to be, then he should know of a battle between him...and um...whoever else fought him! "Five years later and I'm still waiting here, asshole..."

The immortal decided to ignore that comment. "Unless we both fought a battle we don't remember, I do not recall anything of the sort occuring to you."

"Huh?" What was he getting at?

"I mean, little brother, that I _also_ suffered amnesia...or _am_ suffering amnesia."

"What?! Bullshit!" Inuyasha couldn't believe this was happening! "You're not giving me some half-ass excuse for not wanting to tell me, right?"

"Why would I waste my time forming excuses that you'd believe regardlessly?" He rolled his golden honey eyes, wondering for the millionth time why he was related to such an imbecile. They were not alike in any way, shape or form. He _swore_ it.

"Fuck you! I aint believing for the _umpteenth_ time that we have yet **another** fucking coincidence! First we're engaged to mortals, then we have consecutive dreams, and after that we both have amnesia--what next? Oh, what a coincidence! We both have silver hair!"

"Half-breed, listening to you rant is deteriorating my assiduous brain cells. Spare me the pain and shut up."

"Keh! I hope they all die, you damn bastardous moron!"

"I thought I told you to stop talking about yourself--don't you ever get embarrassed?"

"Dammit, I'm going to shave off all that hair of yours and make myself a coat!"

"Ah, of course you'd want my impeccable hair; yours has fleas wandering in it...I actually pity you for envying me so much..."

"Ok, fine! I'm shutting up now! Evidently you're too stupid to understand that I _hate_ everything about you..." Inuyasha's eye ticced sporadically as he tried to recover from mental images of actually _being_ like the older immortal...gods, it was such a terrible thought! _No need to think about it anymore..._

Sesshoumaru only shrugged, unfazed at how his brother had easily admitted defeat. "Back to the matter at hand. A year ago, I fought a similar 'battle' you had described and sustained a head injury, or so Jaken had explained my amnesia. I find it ironic that I remembered everything else except for Rin and _that_ particular battle..."

"Yeah..." The hanyou sitting across from him muttered as if in a daze, "Do you think it's all connected? Our memory loss, this 'battle', the dreams...do you think...Jaken and Myouga were...were lying to us?" _Then, what really happened to us that made us forget our lives? _

But, wouldn't they have been able to tell if it was a fib or not? And what motive did their retainers have for lying to their masters, knowing that if they were caught, they wouldn't exactly receive a benign punishment? This was all strange and sudden--it was only a few days ago that both brother's lives changed according to their alleged arranged marriages...

Now that they thought about it...were their marriages all a part of this, as well?

For the love of--! Nothing made sense!

"I do not know..." Sesshoumaru finally said, rationalizing their situation, though once again accomplishing nothing, "...however, I have a feeling that all these mysteries are beginning to unravel themselves. Soon enough...we will know the answers."

Inuyasha nodded. "Soon enough..." Silence ensued...again. It was becoming common place between the two immortals. Yet, this time, the hanyou was the one who disrupted it. For once...

"Sooo...which one of us is making dinner?"

Sesshoumaru slowly blinked...twice.

**

* * *

**

Rin smiled in an evil way that instantly forced her fiancé's malicious smile on the road to shame. She observed the two demon gods lined up in front of her with keen cinnamon eyes nearly flaming with diablerie--but, it wasn't like she was thinking of innocent things to do to them, anyway. Nope, not at all.

Too bad for a gulping Inuyasha and a leery Sesshoumaru.

"All right, cadets, listen up closely for I will only say this once. It's time for a little...um, Fall Cleaning, I guess. This place is absolutely filthy." The teen shook her head in mild disgust as she swiftly took a look around the living room, which, after a very long while, was finally filled with furniture that made it seem _livable._ Though, no one said it was all _dust-free_ furniture...

She swept a finger across a cherry wooden coffee table sitting directly in the middle of two hunter green couches, and she raised the digit for the insepction of the two brothers still in front of her. The tip of her finger was completely covered in gray dust. Ah, the joy of neglecting their apartment...

"I want our apartment to be sparkling clean when Kagome and I get back, ya hear? If I see so much as _one_ more dust bunny, I will go psychotic on all of you and perhaps finally act on my murder plans. Understood?" It was unbelievable that her fiancé was actually following her orders, but after a month living with her...he began to realize that when she meant business...well...they were two of a kind.

Not that he knew what the hell a dust bunny was, though...

Rin received two simultaneous nods, and she also nodded in satisfaction. She then paced before the line of men each dressed in a pair of sweat pants and a T-shirt, evaluating who was to do what. If she left them to their own arrangement...hmph, the apartment would have to suddenly develop ancient powers that allowed it to magically clean itself. Those brothers argued _way_ too much for their own good...

"Ok, this is your job that is to be completed by...I'd say three hours, right, Kagome?" The miko waiting by the apartment entrance merely nodded from behind her friend, not wanting to disagree with the teen who was currently in army commander mode. "Yeah, so...hmm...Sesshoumaru!"

The bored dog demon instantly payed attention. Hey, his life was at stake! "Yes?"

His fiancée grinned devishly. "You're too sexy to clean--you get kitchen duty."

**"WHAT?!** I'm so **NOT** gonna clean everything by my fucking self!!" Inuyasha exclaimed, incredulous that Rin was being so cruel to _him_ of all people! _And that bastard ain't sexy! Sheesh, women and their damn hormones! _

She only shrugged, not really caring either way. "Tough luck. Or...would you rather that I just throw a random object at you? The only thing near me happens to be my purse, and trust me, it's heavy..." That effectively quieted the grumbling hanyou, and he obediantly stood back in line. In the past few weeks, he had learned not to cross Rin..._ever_. If she said she was going to throw something, she actually _would_ throw something.

"Rin, it's getting late..." Kagome muttered, glancing at her silver wristwatch. It was only four in the afternoon, yet, when it came to girls close to a shopping spree...even that may be a little too late...

"Ok, ok! So, Sessh, you're making dinner...and I want a gourmet dinner, not just ramen! And Inuyasha, make sure to vacum under the beds--I swear there's an army of dust bunnies under mine that are just itching for world domination..." The teen then smiled as if she wasn't a tyrant and happily turned to her raven haired friend. "I'm ready, Kagome!"

"Finally! See you later, guys!" And just like that, the two human girls practically flew out the door and towards their destination: the mall. Inuyasha and Sesshoumaru stared blankly at the door that was in their line of sight, not knowing how to proceed with their tasks. Hell, the hanyou hardly knew what Rin was talking about when she explained how to operate the damn cleaning thing he was supposed to use.

"I still don't know what in the seven blazing hells is a dust bunny! Are they maldeformed demons or something?" He was so confused that his ears twitched in rhythm with the annoyed growl vibrating his chest. _Hmph, if there's a dust demon hiding among us... _A smirk curved his lips, _then I'll be sure to vanquish it...heheheh..._ Did a dust demon even exist?

His older brother glanced at him with something akin to condolence in his honey eyes. "don't go on one of your rampages searching for an imaginary demon, half-breed. Your task is to clean, not wager war." _At least Rin gave him the more demeaning task..._

"Yeah, yeah, cook boy. Why is it that you always cook, anyway?"

"Because my fiancée happened to have adopted my sadism. And my culinary skill is superior to your...ramen fest." The half-immortal rolled his eyes in response before Sesshoumaru sighed, shaking his head as he made his way to the kitchen. "Oh, in case you hadn't known, the vacum is in the closet."

Now completely alone in the living room, Inuyasha pondered exactly _what_ he was supposed to be doing...obviously, he was getting nowhere. "The...vacum, eh? That sounds like a demon..." He remembered reading about it in the dictionary he had been forced to allegedly _browse_ a month ago; however, he had never actually _seen_ one.

What if the dictionary included some rare species of demons that thrived only in the mortal realm?

Perhaps this 'vacum' also needed to be vanquished....

* * *

**A/N: END! SHORTENED!**


	13. Costume Shopping

**A/N: HI!**

* * *

**Oh My Gods! 13**

* * *

One month. More than four weeks. Nearly thirty days.

They've been together for that long, yet...she could hardly believe it. Two demon gods were living with her--demon gods! Not just demons; _no_, they were the real thing: _gods_. Sure, a god to an immortal meant someone who had eight or more teeth on their necklaces, _not_ a worshipped, religious symbol of who knew what. But these demons had powers not limited by mortal boundaries--powers that she hadn't entirely seen or could comprehend in the first place.

Was it wrong to be a little incredulous?

If she told one of her friends the true identity of her fiancé, the prince of an empire in the immortal realm, would they believe her? Of course not. Such beings didn't exist. They weren't real--merely imaginary, supernatural creatures that mortals created to scare children or warn others of certain dangers. However...the proof _lived_ with her...there truly _was_ another dimension, another _world_ inaccessible to humans where godlike people resided.

It took her a while, but she finally realized that the universe was a big, big place...she could only wonder how many other dimensions existed...

Kagome sighed, shaking those random thoughts from her head. She could spend years attempting to discover the hidden secrets of the universe, yet _that_ wouldn't get her a high school diploma. Or help her costume shopping, for the matter...

"I seriously don't know what to wear! And the dance is tomorrow!" Rin was also having a hard time choosing the right costume, and in frustration, she blew her obsidian bangs away from her face. "A witch doesn't suit me, I'm not going to be anything historical, and like heck I'm dressing up as a clown!"

"The guys have it easier--all they need to do is transform into their battle outfits and ta da, they're done." The miko felt a rush of envy pass through her. Here she was trying to pick _one_ costume out of hundreds while her fiancé paraded around their apartment doing anything _but_ cleaning! Did it take an idiot to foresee that he probably had no clue what a vacum even looked like?

_Knowing him, he might just be trying to 'vanquish' it like he did our alarm clock, the washing machine--oh, and I can't forget the shower..._ She had to admit, though, that her hanyou's lack of modern technological knowledge was humourous...

The two brothers both refused to wear a costume as well as their imperial clothing for the dance--they stated that flaunting their royal clothes was more or less taboo. So...they decided to wear their battle clothing--minus the armor--since it was...well...comfortable. It wasn't a bad choice, either, because it was easy to explain--they were dark knights.

Hmph, simpletons.

Rin took a swift look around the teeming costume shop that had especially opened for the season--now a days, American holidays were becoming popular. The store, heavily decorated with spooky items, was amply large with a tremendous digital panel that displayed costume choices for customers to choose from; she was currently standing in front a touch-screen panel, pressing next for each costume she disliked. So far, she had gone through about one-hundred and fourty-seven out of three-hundred and two outfits.

She liked _nothing_.

_Am I this picky?_ "I didn't think it would be this hard...I never actually celebrated Halloween, but still..." She didn't even know what theme to dress as!

"I know how you feel, though this is my fourth year. But that doesn't mean I always knew what to wear." Kagome stood beside the cinnamon-eyed teen also browsing through costumes on the adjacent panel. Both girls simulatenously sighed when they had yet to come up with something...anything! It had already been an hour...they should've at least _known_ what kind of outfit they were searching for...

"This is getting boring," Rin mumbled, cradling her tired right arm that had been bearing a repetitive job for over an hour, "I want a costume that would...um...I guess would keep Sesshoumaru's eyes on me the whole night. I _need_ to get him back for sleeping shirtless!" _And it'll serve as a leash, too. Jeez, why am I always the one dealing with his little fan club AKA headband girl? _

Kagome shrugged, but she mentally agreed that her friend's idea of revenge counted for Inuyasha as well. Damn his six-pack... "I have no clue what he'd like. Definitely not something slutty, though..."

"Heck no! I won't go _that_ far just for a creep who deliberately ate my pop tart this morning after I told him not to! And it was my favorite flavor, too!" She adamantly _refused_ to feel naked during the dance merely to entice her...disobediant fiancé! "Hmph, I only want to show him that I'm not a little girl he can toy with...whoah, I practically called him a pedophile..."

"Well, you _are_ a minor...and he's what in human years? Twenty?"

"Around there--he's never revealed his age. Talk about mysterious." Rin suddenly remembered something that had been tugging at the back of her mind for a while now, and she immediately faced her friend. "Hey, Kagome, how are things between you and Inuyasha?"

The question caught her off guard, and the raven-haired miko stiffened. "W-What do you mean?"

"Are you two on speaking terms, yet? Have you...I don't know, made up?" The teen knew, however, that the latter suggestion was not likely. Why? Because the couple still did not sit together at lunch, let alone _glance_ at each other during class. It was as if they were complete strangers to one another.

A month had passed--rumors, although still existing, faded but their relationship continued to be rocky. _They must really be taking that argument seriously. _On the contrary, when it came to her and Sesshoumaru, they chose to forget the past and the future--ahem, pending divorce--in order to focus on the present. All in all, they hardly argued now a days, though he did manage to piss her off once in a while. Not surprising.

Kagome sighed--she was cornered with no way out. "Not really. We talk a bit, but that's because we sleep on the same bed. Either way, we're polite to each other. This whole past month, I haven't argued with him except for that time when we both wanted to use the shower!"

Rin grinned, recalling that hilarious incident. "Yeah, I remember that! You even threw the Slipper of Death at him! And Sesshoumaru ended the argument by going into the bathroom first!" She really found it amazing that her apathetic fiancé of all people tended to be the pacifier in most altercations, even if he hardly cared whom killed whom.

"I...I don't know what to do anymore. All of this is my fault--me and my big mouth! Rin, you can't fathom the things I said to him...hell, I can't even remember most them! He must hate me..." She looked so torn and full of guilt that her friend had to console her, disregarding the fact that it would be breaking Inuyasha's trust.

"Come on, I doubt he would go so far as to hate you..."

"But I--"

"Kagome, trust me--I know he doesn't hate you. He's just angry, hurt, and confused. Mostly hurt. I think he's...um...being _wary_ of you. You were furious that day, or so I heard, and Inuyasha wants to avoid another outburst. And to add salt to the wound, you _both_ misunderstood each other. How is he supposed to respond to that?"

The miko was surprised at Rin's knowledge on the matter. How did she know so much and just what to say? "Did Inuyasha tell you about our fight?"

"More like vented, but yes. So when I tell you that he doesn't know what to do now that his period of anger is over, _believe_ me." The cinnamon-eyed teen then smiled warmly, making Kagome feel that perhaps there truly was hope for her to mend things with her fiancé. "I told him that time is everything--and I think enough time has passed. You have a chance to talk to him tomorrow at the Halloween dance, don't waste it."

It was at that moment that she realized just how much of a true friend Rin was to her; Yuka, Eri, and Ayumi were practically incapable of giving good advice, or even brighten her mood. Instead, they made things worse, especially in the past month. There wasn't one moment that Yuka didn't bring up Houjo, whom the miko was glad that she hadn't caught sight of for quite a while. Was it wistful thinking to assume that he was on vacation? _Maybe he's stranded on a tropical island in the middle of nowhere... _

"I was too hard on him--I mean, he's new to all of this and I just...lost it. I swear I didn't mean to...but hearing people ridiculing him made me so angry that when he started being apathetic about it...I couldn't take it anymore. How can he just stand by and listen to people make fun of him...of us?" That was the major thing she couldn't comprehend. Usually she didn't have to deal with these kind of things, therefore, when the situation arrived, handling it became difficult without losing her temper.

Was it wrong for her to feel that way? Was it wrong to want to stand up for her friends and herself instead of being a bystander? Could anyone blame her having been so furious? All people had to do was put themselves in her shoes...what would they have done?

"Because he's used to it, he's used to being mocked and derided at. If you've noticed, Inuyasha isn't a people person--and there's a reason for it. Think about it, he's a hanyou. Even here, half demons may be accepted, but their unique physical features set them apart from others. Kagome, if he bothered to care about rumors or whatnot, he'd never have any time in the world!"

She was right. Absolutely right. Now the raven-haired teen was overcome by a strong sense of...stupidity and close-mindedness. Inuyasha's personality was abrasive--anything evoked his temper. However, it seemed as though he already had a thick wall around him that protected him from insults and other verbal abuse. A wall that he had built most likely when he was still a child.

_'You think being a hanyou is a piece of cake? That just because I'm a prince, everything for me is easy? Well, dammit--__**IT'S FUCKING NOT!!**__ I used to get bea--'_ Kagome remembered what Inuyasha had shouted when they were bickering...and she felt even more like an idiot for not understanding him. He had practically exclaimed to the world that his life wasn't grand like the stereotypical prince. He had alluded to the same exact thing Rin had just explained to her.

His reclusion had proven to her that he wasn't ready to completely trust her. He trusted Rin, but he just couldn't bring himself to tell his whole life's story to his own fiancée. It was something that had also annoyed her and had addded gasoline to the raging fire igniting her anger. Though, she understood now. She was finally able to view Inuyasha in a new light. The cloak of mystery was still wrapped tightly around him, yet it wasn't her place to pry into his personal life.

_When he wants to tell me, when he feels like he can trust me, then I'll be there. That's all I can do for him...all I can do is understand him. _It wasn't as if they had known each other for years and he'd just bear his soul to her. Did she truly expect complete trust from Inuyasha of all people? It was impossible to do so...

_Ok, so he's not the only one who messed things up._ Now...how to patch things up?

"Thanks, Rin, I couldn't have seen what was right before my eyes without you," Kagome said, smiling genuinely for the first time in four weeks. "Hopefully Inuyasha's open to an apology...even if it's a month late..."

"As long as he knows that you won't try to kill him anymore, then everything will be ok, I know it will! Sooo...does this mean you'll be sitting with me, Inuyasha, and Sesshoumaru at lunch now?" Rin desperately wished that her friend would say yes--it wasn't all that bad with them...just that having another girl to talk with during lunch would be nice while the two brothers debated on whether the academy's ramen or teriyaki chicken was better!

The miko laughed, noting the teen's crossed fingers. "Hmm, the other girls will probably throw a fit, but I guess I will."

"YES!" Rin whooped and glomped a shocked Kagome before she cleared her throat, regaining her composure...her _sane _composure... "Anyway...costume shopping..."

"Oh yeah...costumes...we need them..."

And before they knew it, another hour passed and not one costume grabbed either of the girl's attention. What was it with their pickiness?! It didn't take over two hours to choose a measly costume that they would wear for only one night!

Soon, however...

**"I FOUND IT! **This is the one! Sesshoumaru will permanently be in a coma for the rest of his life when he sees me in this costume!" Rin exclaimed as if she had at long last discovered the cure for cancer, or some other scientific development...

Her cinnamon eyes sparkled in sheer excitement as her mind began imagining the events of the next day and her fiancé's reaction to her costume. _Gods, I should take a picture to blackmail him one day... _That was actually a good idea... _I am a genius. _

Kagome wished she had the same luck Rin had...she was still on page thirty-one out of fifty-eight of costume choices. "Congrats...now if only I can get through the rest of this torture without shooting someone..."

Eh, then she should start locating the nearest gun...

**

* * *

**

Gods, he hated this place with a passion! It reeked of death from the graveled ground to the crimson skies and the stench threatened to leave him without a nose--what was a dog demon without his nose?! The whole area was an eye sore; nothing but an endless road of volcanic rock attracted his silver eyes...and was there a reason why the sky seemed ready to drip blood? Ugh, again, he hated this place.

But, he was on a mission...

...a mission that neither his father or twin brother knew about.

"Last time I came here, I swore I wouldn't return, but where am I now? In the damn Valley of Sephiroh, AKA Deathland." Meimori chuckled at the irony of his situation, though it was short-lived when he finally arrived at his destination.

His arctic silver eyes stared up at the tall black mountain that stood proudly in his way; it was so tall that its summit was impaling a scarlet cloud. Anyone would have felt intimidated by this mountain...well, anyone but a demon god who had already completed his necklace. _Heh, I can't believe someone actually lives here._

"Hmm...let's see if she's home," the immortal whispered to himself as though speaking loudly would upset the enourmous mountain that could easily pass as one of its surrounding volcanoes. He then raised his right clawed hand and watched his appendage glow with sizzling raven energy--in another moment, he laid his hand on a thick wall of ebony rock, making the entire mountain suddenly pulse.

**CRAAACK!!**

The peak of Mount Sephiroh abruptly crumbled into large shards and crashed all around Meimori, who didn't even flinch as what sounded like an earthquake rumbled the valley. He did, however, sneeze repeatedly... "Achoo! Fucking debris, fucking dirt, fucking--achoo!! FUCKING NOSE! Achoo! FUCK!! **ACHOO!!" **

"Hmph, that's what you get for trying to blow up my mountain."

The silver-eyed dog demon immediately grabbed a hold of himself and turned to face the person who had spoken to him in a feminine yet suave voice. A dark-haired woman no older than himself stood before him, satisfaction lighting her ruby-red eyes as she also gave him the once over. She even dared to circle him like a predator watching his prey, but he only smirked, knowing that she would not find one flaw in his being. He had to admit, though, that this insolent woman was quite attractive--she wasn't innocent, yet she was strong-willed, independent...and dangerous.

_Extremely_ dangerous.

"I see that you're doing quite well, Meimori. You haven't change a bit, " the beautiful demoness crooned, flicking her intense ruby eyes over the...mess her guest had caused, "yes, you haven't changed a bit. You're still incapable of using a door."

"You'd think mountains didn't have doors. I still can't believe you live in a mountain...are you having financial problems?" He scoffed, crossing his arms defiantly. "Why the hell would you live in Deathland anyway? It's putrid here!"

"I don't actually live _in_ the mountain, imbecile! I live in a small house _on_ Mount Sephiroh!"

"Then hopefully it wasn't located on _top_ of Mount Sephiroh..."

"If it was, you wouldn't be standing right now." Kagura rolled her eyes, wondering why this demon had to be such a moron. Didn't he know that she'd beat the living crap out of him if he destroyed her house?! _Idiot... _And she hated that damn arrogant smirk on his handsome face. "I know you're not here to destroy my humble aboad, as much as it would entertain you. State your business and leave already."

Meimori tsked, wagging his sharply clawed finger from side to side mockingly. "Now now, is that any way to treat your guest?"

"...I don't have the patience to deal with you right now."

"Well...what if I say that I plan to restore a certain someone to his full power...but I need your help to do it?"

Kagura's demeanor suddenly became bitingly cold, and she narrowed her ruby eyes the color of fiery lava, taking a step towards the smug demon a few feet in front of her. She removed her favorite fan from her side, where it had hung from her black leather belt, and raised its sharp metal tips enough so that they were a hairsbreath away from slicing into Meimori's jugular vein. Heh, he hardly cared that this brazen demoness was threatening his life...

He was immortal, he couldn't die from _normal_ weapons.

However...if the weapon happened to be very, very special...

"I'd say that you are completey and utterly insane, therefore I'd need to slit your throat." She pressed the smooth, cold edge of her deadly fan closer to his warm flesh, promising not death, but pain. "Haven't you learned from your mistakes? don't you remember what happened the last time you aided that bastard?"

"I did learn, Kagura, and I wont make the same mistakes. This time, things will go accordingly." He'd make sure of it--ambition had a way of driving people to sheer madness. Besides, he always got what he wanted...yes, he acknowledged the fact that he was spoiled.

"Why should I even involve myself in your aspirations? You strive for too much, Meimori--a kingdom and a woman that are _not_ yours! Face it, Sesshoumaru _beat_ you. He is the better demon god--"

Her sentence was suddenly interrupted when some invisible force cut off her air supply, constricting her throat so tightly that the wind sorceress fell onto her knees trying desperately to breathe. Black dots spotted her vision, and her quickly-growing-dull ruby eyes darted towards the impassively gazing dog demon prince. Meimori's frigid silver eyes were narrowed slits and he was surprisingly gnarling--her statement about his dearly hated younger cousin seemed to have struck a cord.

"Never, _ever_ spew such absurdities again, my_ dear _Kagura, or I will kill you." Meimori made sure to tighten his invisible hold, reveling in the way she gasped in pain and began choking. However, he soon reasoned that the bitch still had some use, and he finally allowed her to breathe.

The demoness took advantage of the gift of air, coughing and filling her lungs with enough of it. "I **wont** help you ressurect _him_ just to have another repeat of what happened before! It's been a year and I'm **still** getting used to this life!"

"It's not like this life is anything new--you've already lived it before." What did he mean by that?

"Even so, you wont get away with betraying your father again. I'm sure he knows what you have instore for the future of the immortal realm," the she spat, though she knew it was futile to ingrain some kind of sense into that dimwitted fool's head. _Damn cocky dog demons... _

Meimori sighed, becoming increasingly tired of this languid conversation. "Yes, of course; I know that. That's why he's trying to revive the only person who can destroy _him_. In order to do so, he's using my cousins and their fiancées. I need them, too, but solely with your help. If I can get them to realize their full potentials before my father does, then perhaps...my job will be much easier."

Kagura at long last stood up, having finally regained her breath, and huffed, "If you're so desperate for my help, then what will I receive in return? And keep in mind that last time you offered me something, your plan backfired and I didn't get the man I desired."

"It's not my fault my cousin was mated to _my_ woman--damn him once more. Anyway, I recently heard that your little sister--what was her name, Kanna?--is still sealed in the mirror realm. It would be child's play for me to...well, bring her back." He watched with a smirk once again curving his lips as the stubborn demoness widened her eyes and gasped in shock. Inwardly, he knew he was cruel to use her beloved sibling to attain his goal, but he was on a mission.

He would achieve it by any means possible.

"Do you finally agree, my accomplice?"

It took a second for her to respond, yet, when she did, a smirk matching that of Meimori's also curved her blood red lips, "We'll be needing Kikyou's help. And this time, she'll be willing to join us because she has a score to settle with Inuyasha and Kagome. A score that might just end in bloodshed..."

Meimori finished her sentence, "...and the revival of Naraku."

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**A/N: WOOT! DARKNESS IS RISING! WE'RE ALL GOING TO DIE! HIDE IN THE MIRROR REALM WITH KANNA!!! :-D And no, there will be no love between Inu and Kikyou because I just hate that pairing. Kikyou--cool character. But when she gets close to Inu--I'M GONNA RIP YOUR HEAD OFF AND FEED THEM TO THE MAGGOTS IN MY BASEMENT!!! Same goes for Kagura and Sessh! Though, I cant say their relationship in this story is platonic...**

**Merf, I'm sick! So sick and for the first day of school! Damn. Well...**

**Miroku and Sango...next chapter. Be ready for the Halloween Dance!**


	14. Mortal for the Night

**A/N: Yeah yeah, I decided to update since I FINALLY feel better. STUPID INFECTIONS!!! THEY LAST FOR OVER TWO WEEKS!!! GRRR!!! And stupid AP Chemistry tests! MY LAST ONE DESTROYED MY BRAIN CELLS!! Anyway...**

**This goes to **DarkDemonWithinMe13**--Aww, thanks for your wonderful review! Of course I'll be friends with you, I'm friends with everyone! Which can be a bad thing sometimes...I hope I'll write for along time, too--well, as long as I get good reviews like yours! Wow, and you made me smile and blush...I don't blush...But I do have to say that Inuyasha is one hell of a sexy hanyou...and he's MY bitch! YES! DO YOU HEAR ME ALL OF YOU CRAZY FAN GIRLS?!?! HE'S MY BITCH! HE'S TIED TO MY BED NO YOURS!!! And I have Sesshy in my closet! :-D So, if you have a FF. Net account sign in so that I can message you, or I'll even add you on aim! And this if for anyone who wants to talk to me! Though I warn you that I hardly ever sign in...messaging me via my profile or e-mail is the best way to communicate with me because it's the only thing I check every single f-ing day! **

**I HOPE YOU ALL ENJOY THE CHAPPIE! AND PLEASE CONTINUE TO MAKE SACRIFICES TO THE GOD OF ANTI-WRITER'S BLOCK!!! Now let's hope I don't get sick again...**

**And this chappie is sadly not beta read; damn I'm so horrible because I didn't even send her this chapter...either way, THANKS KINKATIA! HAVE FUN IN COLLEGE!! **

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**Oh My Gods! 14**

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What the hell was he supposed to do now? How could he have been so...so...so stupid!!! It was not something that a hanyou could easily forget--hell, it was the **one** thing he had worried about his entire life! It was a part of him that he was forced to face, a part of him that could not be hidden no matter _how_ powerful he was. Then how in the goddamn seven hells of the netherworld did he forget about it?!?!

_I'm so stupid, so fucking stupid! I'm the most idiotic asshole in the universe! ARGH! What in the world am I gonna do now? _His thoughts coursed angrily through his mind, fueling his frustration. It was just incomprehensible, impossible! Such a thing did _not_ happen with half-demons! It. Did. Not. Happen. _Fuck, and I have to go to that damn Halloween dance, too. _

"Let me put it in simple terms for you so that your brain doesn't explode--dear brother, you are a moron. Would you like me to come up with some synonyms in case you didn't understand that? You're an imbecile, a dimwit, and my personal favorite, a nincompoop. Humans come up with such lovely words to describe you."

The hanyou regarded his smug brother none too kindly. "Shut up, bastard!"

"Oh, you seem a bit flustered, little brother. Are you suffering the signs of inanity?"

"I'm going to shove another big fat stick up your ass in two seconds!"

"Ah, I see. You're just an idiot. No need to fret, I already knew."

"I _will_ murder you in your sleep..."

"Sorry, Rin already tried that. As you can tell, I'm still alive."

"Fuck you!"

"Listen very closely, brother--you might forget. 'Fuck' isn't the only word that exists. It's a phenomenon, isn't it? Wait, you must have not understood what I just said with your pea-sized brain and all..."

**"ARGH!!!** JUST _**SHUT**_THE **FUCK** UP!!!"

"_-sigh-_ There you go again, my idiot brother. Do I need to send you to puppy school?"

Inuyasha fisted his hands and decided to ignore is annoying older brother all together--besides, letting that asshole get to him was distracting him from his current situation. Thence, he slowed his pacing and allowed his eyes to dart across the room, searching for Rin's pink Hello Kitty--damn cat scared the shit out of him--alarm clock. Dammit, if he was as apprehensive as he felt, he'd be _sweating_ just about now. It was a quarter to eight in the evening...the dance was starting soon, and the girls were probably almost done getting dressed.

Not good for him.

_Ok, Inuyasha, just breathe and take a deep breath. Relax...calm down...Fuck, it's not working! What am I going to do?!?! _He gritted his teeth and pulled on his bangs as though it was a miraculous solution to his problem. If only some higher entity would decide to make his life easier and merely send him a sign! One sign would do! And yet, he still received nothing._ ARGH!!! _

All the while, Sesshoumaru watched as his brother frantically paced in his room appearing like a madman--he mumbled to himself, frequently threatened to pull out every strand of hair on his head, and his crazed eyes couldn't focus on one spot for more than a split second. A _normal_ brother would feel concerned and perhaps be moved to inquire if he could help. However...since he was a _sadistic_ demon prince, he was actually amused by his brother's sudden dilemma.

Though, it was because he had foreseen this predicament the moment he had first discovered that Inuyasha was in the mortal realm. How? Well, besides the fact that he was an amazing psychic, of course...

"It seems that you are not quite fit to live among mortals since you cannot even remember _your_ time of the month." Sesshoumaru leaned back on the wooden desk chair he was sitting on, cruelly smirking as his inferior scoffed and at long last ceased pacing like a drug-addict suffering from withdrawal. The look that was shot at him was somewhat pleading, yet it wasn't as if he took any heed.

"For fuck's sake, ya goddamn lazy bastard! Can't you at least get off your fat ass and **help** me?! I have less than fifteen minutes to come up with a reason why I can't go to the Halloween dance! Trust me, the wench who happens to be my fiancée won't settle for 'I'm sick'!"

The silver-haired immortal, already dressed in his battle wear--his costume for the night--merely shrugged, his expression devoid of any emotion, _especially_ sympathy. "It is not my problem. Deal with it on your own." He paused for a second, something akin to a frown marring his handsomely chiseled face. "And my ass is not fat."

"I don't know why I even _asked_ you--now I have to deal with a fat-ass bastard in denial," Inuyasha sighed, rolling his eyes. "Kagome's not going to understand why I can't go, and I'm definitely not going to let her see me like this!" He pointed a slender finger at himself in emphasis, daring Sesshoumaru to say otherwise. Strangely, that finger's nail was missing its sharp point...AKA, claw...

"Why not? It is who you are; you might as well embrace it." The words sounded like good advice, but his younger brother knew that the dog demon was merely scorning him, _again_, for being a half demon. He didn't know why the amnesia the jackass supposedly suffered hadn't blocked out certain 'times of the month' pertaining to his hanyou inferior.

It would have made things so much easier...

Finally realizing that he would receive no help from Sesshoumaru whatsoever, Inuyasha pursed his lips in complete dread of what was to come and turned around to face himself in the full-size mirror hanging behind the entrance door. He noted how remarkably different he looked; instead of his usual striking silvery white hair hanging loosely over his shoulders, it was silky jet black tresses that met his gaze. As he continued his observation, he was mesmerized by the color change of his eyes from brilliant golden amber to a dark, mysterious gray. His perk dog ears were no longer atop of his head--rather, he had a pair of...human ears along each side of his head.

Hell...he looked more human than possible...why?

Because it was a new moon, his special 'time of the month' when a hanyou like him lost his demon powers for the night. His deep dark secret that he had completely forgotten about during his time here in the mortal realm was that he, too, transformed into a human being on one day each lunar cycle. Dammit all!

Granted, his human form was supposed to be kept a secret--hanyou weren't yet well liked by either the demon or human race, so they were hunted on nights of their vulnerability. The only person who knew about this change, besides his 'trusted' retainer and his deceased parents--well, duh--was Sesshoumaru. Inuyasha was actually surprised that his brother, who always insulted him and claimed to detest his existence, never laid a hand on him while he was human. If he hadn't known any better, he'd say that the bastard even went so far as to _protect_ him from danger..._nah_.

Even so, he just didn't feel ready to trust Kagome and Rin with this part of him...at least not yet. They should already know that half demons had a night of mortality, though _which_ night was _his_ was lost on them. Hopefully, it would remain that way.

"How could I have forgotten about this in the first place? This isn't like forgetting about allergies--this is serious! It never happened before, so why now?" The hanyou-turned-human asked himself, genuinely confused and a bit apprehensive, as well.

If this little mishap ever occurred again, who knew if he would be involved in a fight or something like that and, poof! He suddenly transformed into a human! It had come as an immense shock to him when he abruptly felt considerably weak along with his dulling demon senses...it had never occurred to him that he was transforming. By the time he figured it out, his brother had already hauled him into his room, locked the door, and merely watched as his demon blood completely waned.

Now that he thought about it, he concluded that if it hadn't been for Sesshoumaru, his secret _could_ have been exposed. _Keh, I guess I owe him one. _Err, whatever.

"It is actually logical that you would forget, little brother." Inuyasha sharply faced the demon god, raising one dark brow higher than the other incredulously. With the sharp glare being sent his way, the older demon reckoned he might as well elaborate. "Did you also forget that we are in a different realm? Meaning that there will be a _time_ difference. If I recall correctly, about three months here is a year over there--and both realms' lunar cycles are also distinct."

"Crap! I get it now--usually it feels like forever until I transform because the new moon only appears once every four months." To a human, the concept would sound like a foreign language, yet to immortals, it was completely reasonable. Now he didn't feel like too much of an idiot! Hurray!

The immortal realm could have a full moon for weeks on end, though only one new moon every four months--since Inuyasha still needed to get used to living in the _mortal_ realm, it passed his mind that his transformations would also differentiate between realms. _This really sucks. I have to face being a human once a month now. _Great, just great! Well, he lost his demon strength and most of his immortal powers for the night--the only thing he could do was summon his wings, change his immortal clothing, and...um...at least since he was born in the immortal realm, he wasn't defenseless...

Yes! He wasn't weak!

_Knock! Knock! _

"Hey, guys, come out! It's time to go!"

Inuyasha's gray eyes nearly bugged out their sockets in response to Kagome's shout, and he faced Sesshoumaru, urging the demon to do something other than sit around nonchalantly. This was just what he needed--for the girls to be done earlier than he had first expected! _And that damn bastard aint helping_, he thought, angrily glowering at his smirking brother. _Maybe I should go hide in the closet?_

"Look, the sooner we get to the dance, the sooner I can actually dance! Sooo... **GET OUT!!!" **

"Why does she have to be so loud?" Sesshoumaru mumbled, rubbing his sensitive ears after Rin had practically screamed her demand. It wasn't like he was excited to go to the dance; he hardly knew what it was--a human ritual of some sort? _I'll find out soon enough,_ the immortal thought, standing with a sigh to go open the door.

**"NO!! **Don't open it!" The dog demon narrowed his eyes at the desperate human blocking the door, looking like a frightened child who thought that a monster was lingering by on the other side. _Well, if he keeps the girls waiting, they _will _become monsters...especially Rin... _Why was _he_ stuck with the scary one?!

**"JUST OPEN THE DOOR!!!** Even if you're both naked!! Actually, I'd prefer that!" Both brothers' eyes twitched at that statement...

"Step aside, half-breed." Hmph, he shouldn't have to suffer for his brother's recreance.

He merely spread his arms wide across the door frame, clearly determined not to move an inch. "Hell no!"

"I'm giving you guys three seconds before I ram this door open with my super ninja powers! One..."

Sesshoumaru glared at Inuyasha, flexing his claws in a silent promise of pain...

"Two..."

Inuyasha bit his bottom lip, squeezing his eyes shut while hoping against hope that he would survive through the night with his secret still a _secret_...

"Thre--" Without waiting for his brother to move, Sesshoumaru forcibly pushed the unwilling hanyou-turned-human aside, unlocked the door, and opened the door wide enough so that the girls would be able to see what was going on inside.

The two teens dressed in similar costumes immediately gaped--Rin's mind was reeling because she hadn't believed that her fiancé could get any more gorgeous while Kagome almost fainted at the sight of a young man no older than herself standing behind her fiancé's brother.

"Wow, you never cease to amaze me, Sessh..." The dark-haired teen had yet to notice the other nervous occupant of the room as her cinnamon eyes appreciated her fiancé's battle outfit...and sexy physique, of course.

The black silk shirt he wore clung to his lean frame, along with a black leather vest acting as a replacement for his armor--yup, Kagome had taken the liberty to explain what their 'costumes' would look like. _No wonder she was nearly drooling... _It just added to his ever present perfection; not to mention that the sable, velvet cloak he wore made him seem all the more regal--he might as well go back to the immortal realm and claim his throne! _Crap! Why is he so hot?! Here I am trying to get revenge and it's __**him**__ who wins! _

However, unknown to Rin, Sesshoumaru clearly thought that she was the victor, for her costume took his breath away--literally! He couldn't speak--all he was capable of doing was letting his eyes roam and his mind imagine ripping her clothes of all together... How was it that she made him feel...argh, he didn't even know _what_ he was feeling!

It was foreign to him, but he had to admit that she was down right sexy in her strapless black shinobi (ninja) dress that had a yellow floral pattern, which also _barely_ reached her mid thigh. Thankfully, the teen wore black thigh high stockings--the last thing he wanted was to keep his eyes glued on her shapely legs... Damn, he was quickly losing his cool!

It took three full minutes for Rin to realize that Inuyasha was nowhere in sight, except for a guy whom she had never seen before practically hiding in back of Sesshoumaru. She crossed her arms, which adorned sleeves matching her dress--they were detached from the garment and only started above her elbow--and was about to inquire about the hanyou's...peculiar appearance... _No wait! I forgot something! _

While Sesshoumaru still unabashedly stared at her as though she had suddenly turned into pretty little butterfly fluttering around for his admiration, Rin whipped out her handy dandy digital camera and--_click! _

_What...the...?_ The dog demon at last stepped out of his stupor and glared at his grinning fiancée. "Rin..."

The teen playfully winked. "Ha ha! I'm so keeping this to black mail you later!" She put the camera away--yes, even though it had come out of nowhere--and faced the dark-haired guy wearing a similar outfit to Sesshoumaru's. "Who's that? Are you cheating on me already, Sessh?"

Inuyasha gagged in the background. "Like hell I'd ever sleep with him! Rin, what the fuck are you thinking about lately?!"

"Sorry, it's the manga I read!" Her reply received a rather suspicious stare from her fiancé.

"_-gasp-_ Oh my gods, he _is_ Inuyasha!" Kagome finally came back to life when the previously 'unnamed' guy spoke. "Whoah, you had a makeover...is this one of your other immortal forms?" The miko, who was wearing a costume similar to Rin's except for the fact that her dress actually _reached_ her ankles and wasn't strapless--though, it did have a very long slit at the side--cocked her head curiously, wondering why the hanyou abruptly paled.

"Uhh...." And that was his oh so articulate response.

"Girls, meet human Inuyasha. Human Inuyasha, stop being a coward and meet the girls. Now that you all know each other, let's get this dreadful night over with." Sesshoumaru rolled his eyes at the bunch of gaping idiots he was stuck with and hauled his fiancée towards the door, eager to get to the dance and come back...hopefully alive. Rin allowed herself to be dragged away like a cavewoman, as long as the careless dog demon didn't ruin her black ninja headband or her bright yellow obi.

If he did...well, her costume prop happened to be a plastic dagger that would fit in nicely with the stick already up his ass...

**

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**

What...in the hell..._was_ this place? His golden amber eyes had never witnessed a more rambunctious group of mortals doing things he rather not think about...in _public_. They were too close to each other!! Where was their integrity?!

He seriously felt his stomach churn as he scanned the large 'ballroom', which was completely dark save for the bright white light sporadically flashing in the dance floor, making vigorously dancing pairs seem...robotic, and the other scant lamps littering various round tables. The music was extremely loud; obviously, that didn't sit well with his sensitive ears--he found himself envying his younger brother for not having enhanced senses tonight. It smelled like sweat from top to bottom, despite the air conditioner, and his nose constantly twitched in displeasure. Poor nose. Halloween decorations hung from the ceiling to the walls to the...floor...and was that an actual spider web over by the punch bowl?

Rin's intention was not to keep him here...right?

He slowly angled his face to glance at her cheery expression and...crap, she did intend it.

"So, what do you want to do first?" The overly excited teen grinned from ear to ear, so anxious to go and dance that she was actually swaying along with the upbeat tune of the current techno song playing. Sesshoumaru only stared at his fiancée, wondering if she would be able to deduce an answer merely from his simple glower.

But of course, she disregarded it. "Ok, then we might as well--"

"And that was Trance and Acid to boost up your energy! Here comes the moment you dancers have all been waiting for--the dance contest!" The charismatic DJ located on the stage in front of the dance floor nodded his head to the series of whoops and cheering he heard in response to his comment. He paused, waiting for the excitement to die down before continuing. "First contest of the night is couples only! So girls, drag your dates to the center of the dance floor and let's get this party started!"

"YES! We didn't miss it! Hurry, Sessh, we _have_ to win this!" Rin apparently took in mind what the DJ said about dragging her date--the poor dog demon would have whined in sheer dread if it had been in his nature to do so.

Soon enough, there were twenty-three couples standing in the middle of the dance floor, where the rest of the costumed students formed a large circle in order to act as spectators. However...the DJ clicked his tongue. "Whoah, I guess we _all_ want to win this! Ok, ok, everyone has a fair shot at this, but we'll start with tryouts. Get ready for..."

Rin's cinnamon eyes widened when she recognized that started playing, and beamed with childlike joy. "It can't be...wow, it's the--"

"Yup, the chicken dance! Since we're celebrating an American holiday, we might as well have some American music, right? The rules of the contest are fairly simple--don't like the song, you're out. Don't dance--you're out. Get tired--you're out! To win, all you and your partner need to do is dance, dance, and dance until you drop! Last pair standing wins a grand prize! So, show me them chicken moves!"

Sesshoumaru was overcome by complete horror when he watched people waste no time to begin dancing to the incredibly strange song--what the hell were they doing?! A mortal dance truly _was _a ritual of some sort! He had to get out of here before a certain someone forced him to become one of those brainless barbarians!

"Alright, this is how you do it. You first--"

"No," the dog demon said firmly, utterly disgusted by mortals and the like. Now they were swinging themselves like gorillas! And why was this song called the chicken dance?! What in the world did it have to do with chickens?! Were those insufferable birds going to pop out of nowhere?! "I am not willing to degrade myself with..._this_."

"It can't be...Maebashi Sesshoumaru, future King of the Western Kingdom, is afraid of a little competition?" Rin feigned shock and put a 'trembling' hand on her forehead, shaking her head furiously. "Oh no no no no, the Sesshoumaru _I_ know would _never_ back down from a contest, no matter _how_ degrading it is!"

"Rin...this...this mortal ritual is _beyond_ words! I will not--"

"You don't have a choice, did you know that? Because I have a picture that would prove to the world that you have emotions...and naughty thoughts..."

"I'm not afraid of you--who would you show it to, hm?" Sesshoumaru was positive that his fiancée wasn't able to do anything extreme with the picture she candidly took of him. And if she did, well, it didn't really matter...right?

She shrugged casually, tapping her chin thoughtfully before she replied, "I know Inuyasha would never let you forget it...and wouldn't Eri just _love_ to have a picture of her idol so that she can kiss it whenever she wants to?"

Bingo.

"Fine. Show me this godforsaken...chicken dance."

**

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**

After several minutes of staring at each other, one in shock and the other in apprehension, Inuyasha and Kagome were finally on their way to the Halloween dance, being held at the college building's ballroom. Yes, the academy had a ballroom--they just continued to flaunt their wealth, besides the fact that they didn't want to dirty their pristine gymnasium floors during dances like _normal_ schools. Sometimes Kagome had to wonder why she even bothered to attend a school that was inhabited by rich, snobby people, but she decided not to take her scholarship for granted. At least the cafeteria food was good--it was like going to a five star restaurant.

Anyway...back to the present!

_Grr, why do these stockings have to be so itchy?! _Kagome scratched her irritated skin beneath her black thigh-high stockings in annoyance, also swearing that it would be the last time she did so. For a second, she pondered getting rid of them, but then again, her sorceress's dress had a pretty long slit that would show more than what she'd like others to see... _Fine, you've won this time, stockings, but I'm never wearing you again! Hmph! _

She sighed in bliss--it was not too chilly for a late October night, perfect for a school dance. However... The miko glanced at her companion from out of the corners of her eyes and frowned. He was staring straight ahead as though nothing bothered him, but she could tell that he was nervous, solicitous, and most of all: tense. _I wonder why... _It wasn't as if she didn't already know....

"It's not like I would've laughed at you if you had shown your human self to me, Inuyasha. And I swear I won't tell anyone now that I do know." Kagome turned her head to have a better view of her currently human fiancé, yet he still faced straight ahead with his lips tightly pursed together. _He's not in the talking mood, I guess. _

"You know you can trust me--I mean, you haven't seen me telling the whole world that you and Sesshoumaru are demon gods from another realm." Well, that was partly because people would think she was crazy....there was no need to be registered into a psychiatric ward before Rin was...

Despite her attempts at starting a conversation, Kagome was met with silence.

_Rin was wrong, he is still mad at me._ She glanced at the dark grassy ground as they both walked, perhaps trying to forget that her fiancé was ignoring her. What was she going to do now? He didn't want to talk, he didn't want to trust her--how then, was she supposed to apologize? _Inuyasha is a hard person to deal with. The only way he would understand something is by force..._ Then by all means, that was how he was going to listen to her.

"Stop." Inuyasha continued to walk, and Kagome knew that even though his hearing was now that of a human's, he had heard her loud and clear. Basically, he really _was_ ignoring her. "Inuyasha, stop!" He was about five feet in front of her now.

_Great!_ The miko gritted her teeth, settling her anger before she instigated another argument with the thick-headed immortal, and followed after him without a second thought. She grabbed a hold of his wrist and forcefully pulled him off the path to the academic buildings, now leading him towards a small grove of towering trees. Inwardly, she was glad that he barely resisted, but that didn't mean it was easy hauling him anywhere! _Sheesh, this is what I get for being engaged to a PMSing hanyou. _

Once they were both standing in front of a large tree with only the stars offering any kind of light for them, Kagome took a deep breath to collect her nerves and raised her head to stare at her fiancé in the eye. _Big_ mistake. His eyes, as clear and bright as moonstones, reflected all his inner emotions, the ones that he was able to hide when his mentality was strengthened by his inner demon. They shone with a deepness that drew her in and rendered her speechless--usually his eyes were vibrant and sharp with pent-up energy, yet now they were cool and soft with rare wisdom.

_My gods, his eyes, both demon and human forms, are so distinct, but equally beautiful._ It took all of her will power to force herself to speak. "Inuyasha...I just...I just wanted you to know that I'm sorry...for what I said, well, _yelled_ at you a month ago. I swear I didn't mean any of it--I let my anger control me and...you know the rest."

"Keh!" The hanyou-turned-human crossed his arms as though her apology was the most casual thing in the world. She wondered if she was just wasting her time trying to set things straight. "Do you think I care if you say sorry or not, wench?" He sounded gruff and uncaring, but was he really?

"I know it's a month late, but--"

"Do you think I care?"

She took the moment to consider this and sighed in defeat. "No."

"Then why are you wasting your time?"

_Hmph, I was right._ "Inu--"

"Ok, let me help you understand this. You can say sorry all ya want, wench, and it won't matter a goddamn thing to me." Those cold words, coming from someone like Inuyasha, actually hurt. They were sharp, hot knives that he had aimed at her heart, and he hadn't missed a shot, either--to put it simply, he couldn't stand her.

How were they supposed to go through marriage if he loathed her?! _I guess Rin and Sesshoumaru aren't the only ones who are getting a divorce. Instead of an engagement party, we should have a divorce party. _A month ago, it would've contented her--but now, when she had finally begun to accept the fact that she was engaged to a demon god...well...it would be hard to let go.

But she tried. She tried to apologize; she tried to understand him--what else was there for her to do? What in the world did he want from her?! Why couldn't he just say what he wanted and save them both all the misery?! _ARGH!! No, bad, Kagome! No getting angry! _That would be adding dynamite to a raging fire... "Fine, then let's go meet up with the others."

On the verge of giving up hope--and tears--Kagome merely shook her head and was about to walk towards the path to the academic buildings again, but a warm hand wrapped around her wrist gently stopped her. "I'm not done yet so you're not going anywhere."

* * *

**A/N: SHORTENED!**


	15. Halloween Dance

**A/N: ELLO! **

* * *

**Oh My Gods! 15**

* * *

Ugh, the chicken dance was long past and gone, thank the gods. Sesshoumaru didn't even _want_ to remember how it felt like to...'shake his tail feathers'. Dear lord, he had to come up with a way to get Rin back for that damn picture! He knew she was capable of giving it as a 'friendly' gift to his love sick admirer! She was _too_ conniving, dammit!

His fiancée was the most _vexing_ woman in the whole universe, and yet he wanted her with a fierce passion that it threatened to consume his heart, mind, soul, and whatever else he had inside! How can she ignite such sentiments in him? And it wasn't solely lust...she was appealing to him in many ways--like how she always stood her ground against him...her radiant smiles...how she'd cutely blush every time she met his gaze...did she know what she was doing to him? If he hadn't had any self control, Rin would literally be on her knees right about now...

Eh, his thoughts were straying to un-Sesshoumaru-like things...

"Woot! You guys rock! We zoomed by the chicken dance, glided through the hamster dance--" That was another dance Sesshoumaru didn't want to recall--damn those weird hamster choreographers. "--and a bunch of other stuff! Now we only have two couples left! Wow, from twenty-three to two! You all know what that means--showdown!" The DJ sounded awfully happy about that--was he just as sadistic as he was? Perhaps there were different methods of demonstrating sadism...

"Hmph, we so won this contest, Hiten. Those two don't stand a chance--though I like the inuyoukai's hair....it's so pretty...." A dark-haired demoness crooned to her boyfriend, who rolled his crimson eyes at her usual antics. The woman was obsessed with hair; that was the sole reason why she was dating him--he had long, braided hair.

"Yeah, I know what you mean. I can't wait to rub it in everyone's faces that we won." Hiten smirked arrogantly, imagining having that mystery prize in his hands and gloating to his freshman college class about it. "This is going to be as easy as cake, Yura."

"I think you're mistaken," Rin chirped, popping out of thin air beside the couple--she really did have super ninja powers, "because my date and I are going to win. It's ok; we'll let you have a glimpse of our prize."

Hiten's eyes only raked over the teen's slender frame, as well as her form-fitting costume, and they lit in appreciation, a lop-sided grin curving his lips. He wished Yura had nice, shapely legs like this pompous girl...oh wait, who was that growling dog demon now standing behind her? He looked fairly homicidal...

"Keep dreaming, misfit, the prize is mine." Yura refrained from mentioning her boyfriend, not like she was going to share the prize anyway...Hiten was too much of a slob.

Sesshoumaru didn't have to interfere to set that hair witch--she was actually dressed as a witch--straight because Rin had it all under control. Besides, who called her a misfit and got away with it? "Then bring it on, slut." Her fiancée just openly stared at her boldness--was she half tigress or something? He had to remember to never call Rin a misfit...

"Get into position, troops! One, two, three, and..." The song soon commenced, and immediately after hearing the first few beats, Rin gasped and literally began to jump up and down. Her date only hoped that he was not going to be forced to do anything embarrassing again...

"I can't believe it! I **love** this song!!" She turned to Sesshoumaru and grinned broadly at him. "All you have to do is follow my lead; I have everything under control." He nodded--not like he had a choice, anyway.

"And the last song is...Tokyo Drift!"

**

* * *

**

On the verge of giving up hope--and tears--Kagome merely shook her head and was about to walk towards the path to the academic buildings again, but a warm hand wrapped around her wrist gently stopped her. "I'm not done yet so you're not going anywhere."

"No, I'm **tired** of this!" She snatched her appendage away from Inuyasha's and fixed her fiancée with a heated glare, her tears making her chocolate eyes appear glassy. "I don't want to feel like a stranger to you anymore! I hate walking down the halls and have to ignore that you even exist! I hate not sitting with you at lunch and I **hate** the silence that surrounds us whenever we're alone! I want to forget what happened the past month and move **on** for goodness sake! But we can't do that because **I don't know what the hell you want!!!" **

"Don't tell me that you're going to make all the decisions here _again_, wench!" Inuyasha, as always, took the defensive route as a way to fight back his true emotions. Gods, why did her tears affect him so much?! Was it their bond of mates? No, he was human now; instinct shouldn't play a role in his sentiments. Grr! It was annoying him to no end!

"I wouldn't have to if you only confided in me for once!"

"So you're basically asking me to randomly come up to you and spill my whole life's story? You want me to tell you every single thing I feel each and every day? Ta da! That will never happen!"

"I'm not asking that of you! I want you to **trust** me!"

"Why does everything have to be about _you_, huh? Haven't you ever thought that maybe I'm not _ready_ to tell you personal stuff about my life? Oh, and I bet it never crossed your mind that my life is not a little fairy tale for Miss Pretty Princesses like you!"

Kagome stared at him in shock for a good few seconds. Her thought process was overwhelmed with fury at the moment, and in the end, not one coherent word resonated through her mind. Why in the world were they fighting? Why did it have to be this way? "So, you rather talk to Rin than me, right? Of course, when you tell your life's story to Rin it's nothing personal--it's just me that you have a problem with."

Inuyasha shook his head, already tired of this argument. Sometimes he wished he wasn't so guarded or easily offended, but it was apart of him--it _became_ a part of him every time his hopes and dreams had crashed down upon him. He didn't really want to fight with Kagome anymore; why would he? "Listen wench, it's nothing like that--I haven't told her a thing about myself. Not even Sesshoumaru knows who I am, not that he'd care in the first place."

"There's a reason for that: you won't let anyone in your inner circle," the miko mumbled, staring off to the side--perhaps if she didn't look so deeply into his shining gray eyes, then she could avoid another altercation.

"Yeah, I know..."

"Inuyasha, I think it would be best if we at least made an effort to stop fighting so much. I...I seriously won't marry you no matter what my mother says if we can't spend one second together in peace."

It was an idea that she had thought about recently, but she had never voiced it. Though, it had some sense--why would she marry someone when they couldn't tolerate each other? It was either live in complete silence or constantly bickering; that wasn't life and they both knew it. "I'm sorry, for getting angry at you again. But I want to be able to be with you, the _real_ you without you always being so defensive...that's all I want..."

"You think I don't want that too?" His voice startled Kagome, since it was soft and sensitive, caring and even empathic. It was as though he at last accepted that he had emotional faults, and wanted to correct them as much as she desired to help him. "But, Kagome...apologizing won't do anything, it won't _erase_ anything. Before we can move on, we have to come to a truce."

"A truce?" She echoed his words, not understanding what it was he meant or why he was acting so differently...so..._gentle_. "Like Sesshoumaru and Rin?" The younger teen had informed her that they agreed to set aside their differences--ahem, _human and demon _differences--if only to live the remainder of the year together..._without_ metal cookware flying everywhere.

Inuyasha smirked. "Something like that. Look, the argument we had a month ago and a few minutes ago...it all started because we misunderstood each other. You have no idea how my upbringing as a hanyou was like, and I just have no freakin' clue how your mind works, wench."

Kagome giggled and shrugged. "Yeah, I guess you're right. So, what are you suggesting we do, Mister I-Grew-A-Brain-Over-Night?"

"I think we should start dating, Miss...uhh...I don't know, Sorceress Wench? Yeah, I'll leave it at that."

_Whoah, he's asking me out...oh my gods, he's asking me out! _Besides the fact that they were already engaged... "Does this mean that you're paying for all of our 'dates'?"

"Keh! Damn conniving, stingy wenches..." That meant a yes, right? Whatever, it was as good as a yes in Kagome's book!

"Wait a minute--what if it doesn't work out?" _Since you seem to have problems opening up and all. _"What if we--"

A pair of lips effectively shut her up, and Kagome's chocolate eyes instantly fluttered shut as she wound her arms behind her fiancé's neck while his circled her waist. Their kiss was sweet and once again chaste, just a mere satisfying taste of the other, with each of their lips curving into a smile once they pulled away. Inuyasha silently conceded that his human form was perhaps good for something, since if he had been a hanyou right now, this entire conversation would have never happened--his inner demon was too proud and his human heart just too weak. However, both of his forms agreed on at least one thing: having his miko flush against him, leaning on him...relying on him was the best feeling in the world.

Damn, he hoped she felt the same way because their next kiss wasn't going to be innocent at all...

"Wench, I think we'll make it."

"Hmm...if not, then I can always borrow Rin's new and improved Skillet of Doom!"

Inuyasha's eye twitched at the dreamy look his fiancée had on her face. Uh oh, she was imagining horrible things to do to him again..._ Note to self--destroy said skillet as quickly as possible. _"Come on, I don't want to miss a moment of Rin torturing my bastard of a brother."

"We all say he's the sadist, but I'm not so sure anymore..."

"Keh!"

As the couple walked back to the path and _finally_ to the dance, they never noticed two pairs of eyes intently surveying their every move from the looming shadows surrounding them...

**

* * *

**

Finally, this was a song he actually enjoyed...dancing to! Wow, he couldn't believe he just admitted that...though it was only because of his very..._energetic_ partner. Gods, if he thought she was appealing before, she was simply tempting now. Damn her--she had him wrapped around her little finger! Gods, what he'd give for a preview of their wedding night...

_I wonder if you know, _

_How they live in Tokyo, _

_If you seen me then you mean it,_

_Then you know you have to go_

_Fast and furious! (Kitaa!) (Drift, drift, drift)_

_Fast and furious! (Kitaa!) (Drift, drift, drift)_

Rin was having the time of her life--she was still incredulous, however, that Sesshoumaru was keeping up with her! She had listened to this song over the radio countless of times and knew just how to move along with the fast beat, but for someone like her fiancé who had never heard it before, he was doing _amazing_. Glancing to her right, she noticed that Hiten and Yura seemed exhausted; it was reasonable--the song was face paced and demanded a lot of energy...which she currently had an abundance of...

_Hmm...I wonder what he would do if I did something a little out of character... _Well, it wouldn't hurt to try, and he couldn't mind too much if he looked like he wanted to throw her over his shoulder, run to the closest room...and _do_ stuff. _Sheesh, he really is a sex god. No wonder he's a damn good kisser. _It was only the truth!

_Ya, ichipa mayni chito kitong kitas  
Hito aylam tobi tobida  
Mueruyo sh*to bochi bochi na  
Kuma nigi dasusu kochi kochi eh  
Hito a puro do resow  
Machu subetenu rekong  
Mechakari mundantesha  
Fu guchaw chan  
Fast and furious_

Ok, so far he was controlling himself. He had his hands on her waist in a decent position--not too low...but of course not too high. They weren't dancing extremely close together; just enough that he could feel the fabric of her frilly black dress brushing against his thigh. Again, Sesshoumaru was behaving the way a dignified--whoah, what the hell?!?!

At first he wondered why Rin was turning around so that her back faced his chest, yet she then...dammit, then she reached over and urged his arms to encircle her waist, placing his hands even lower on her hips. It came to an immense shock to him when the mortal vixen began to wind her hips like a coil in slow motion, having him mirroring her actions, her back flush against his chest, with certain areas...yeah...

He hadn't even realized that she was leading him lower and lower...and was there a reason why the crowd around them was going wild?

How in the world was he supposed to survive the night?!

_It's gotta be the shoes  
Gotta be the furs  
That's why ladies choose me  
All up in the news  
Cuz we so cute  
That's why we so huge  
Harajuku girls know how i feel  
They respect I keeps it real  
Not a Chinaman cuz I aint from China man  
I am Japan man_

After grinding on her fiancé for the course of a verse, Rin slyly smiled to herself in victory. She knew that she had just driven the demon god over the edge, but hey, she had to take some risks, right? And it wasn't her fault she loved to dance...

However...she was not expecting to be flipped around, now once again facing her fiancé. She fixed him with a baffled look--why was he smirking as though he planned to murder her with a hidden axe? _What is he--_ Her cinnamon eyes widened and a blush quickly spread over her face as a shocked gasp escaped her lips. _He's not a sex god; he's the devil in disguise._

_(Girls Talking) You see him come and go out of the black Benz SLR.  
I wonder where he get that kind of money?  
Don't worry about it.  
Let's go_

In one swift movement, Sesshoumaru used his right arm, which was still wrapped around her waist, to pin Rin against him, with his left leg in between hers and his hips temptingly rolling... They were pressed closer to each other than ever--she could even _feel_ the muscles on his chest rippling beneath his silk shirt! Oh, for the love of all that was high and mighty! Now she just wanted to rip his shirt off and slide her hands up and down his toned abs for the rest of her life! His plan of revenge was successful, though the obsidian-haired teen actually liked this turn of events...

She returned his smirk with a hidden motive slinking behind her eyes, and while one of her hands rested on his broad shoulder for support, Rin leaned her upper body away from his and steadily ground her hips along with the beat. His golden honey eyes burned into hers, attempting to find a reason why she was currently a devilish vixen rather than an innocent teen like usual. A double life, perhaps?

_I wonder if you know  
How they live in Tokyo  
If you see me then you mean it  
Then you know you have to go  
Fast and furious (Drift, Drift, Drift)  
Fast and furious (Drift, Drift, Drift)_

(Repeat)

Sesshoumaru felt as if he had heard this song before...from somewhere. His body apparently recognized the beat and instantly knew how to react...but...maybe it came from his amnesia? However...he didn't remember Rin because of a certain 'battle', right? So then, why didn't _Rin_ remember him? Why didn't Kagome remember Inuyasha? It was improbable that they were also caught up in a peculiar battle and _coincidentally_ suffered amnesia...

Oh well, no need to think about it now with this human woman thinking that she had bested him! Eh, in all truths, she had--he alas admitted defeat. He leaned his head next to Rin's and was content to stay like that for the rest of the song, dancing in sync with her slender body. By the end of the song, they were practically in an embrace...and strangely, it was hard to separate; neither of them wanted to let go. Yet, the roaring of the crowd brought them back to their senses, and he pulled back, if only to see if they won the competition or not.

There was no way he suffered through the chicken and the hamster dances for nothing!

"That was intense! Give it up for the ninja chick and her dark knight! Hells yeah! That was what you call dancing, people!" The DJ, along with the rest of the student body present, applauded and cheered loudly, making Rin grin and blush while Sesshoumaru paid no heed. He didn't need a bunch of mortals to tell him that he could dance, especially when it was with Rin...he figured he was not going to forget this moment very easily....

"Alright, since the witch and her warlock gave up the fight long ago--" It was only now that Rin and Sesshoumaru both noticed that Hiten and Yura were nowhere to be found--_they must be making out somewhere,_ Rin mused, "--Team Hottie wins the grand prize!"

"Wait, we won?" They actually won?! Rin had never won a contest in her entire life! She turned to her fiancé and gaped, still in a stupor and not wanting to wake up to reality. People were actually cheering them on and congratulating them and...she never felt more alive in her entire life. This was the first time that she felt like she..._belonged_.

No...rather, she belonged with Sesshoumaru.

Rin gazed at the dog demon with a warm glint in her cinnamon eyes after he returned from retrieving their enveloped prize. He was aloof as ever, but something had changed between them; she could feel it. It just...clicked. Now that she thought about it, she couldn't really imagine herself with anyone other than Sesshoumaru. _Besides, who else is going to keep him in check? _She giggled, and overcome by the excitement of it all, Rin threw her arms around his neck and planted a sweet kiss on his unsuspecting lips.

He was surprised--it was the first time she had _ever_ initiated a kiss. Yet, it only took a split second for him to respond. Their kiss was actually chaste for once and not surrounded by any lust whatsoever...there really was a first for everything. And as they drew away, it was as if their eyes became magnetic and nothing else surrounded them. What was it about tonight that changed their perspective of each other? Neither knew. It didn't matter, anyway.

"Sesshoumaru...?" Rin whispered, suddenly feeling self-conscious and coy. She reached up to brush a stray lock of brilliant silver hair away from the magenta stripes on his cheek, and his clawed hand soon found and covered hers. The teen had to sigh in bliss when he overturned her palm and tenderly kissed it.

"Yes, Rin?" He hardly knew why, but he just wanted to hold her in his arms and keep her there forever. His cold heart was literally melting...however, presentiment abruptly nicked his sixth sense. Why did a horrible feeling well up in his chest, a foreboding that he was about to lose what he longed for if he didn't protect it? Or better yet, protect _her_...

He still felt it after a few seconds--and what bothered him the most was that it showed no signs of fading. _Is something about to happen? _His instincts were _always_ right, so this was not something he could simply disregard. _The area is densely populated--an attack at this moment would not-- _

Sesshoumaru's tense thoughts immediately dispersed when Rin beamed at him, her expression filled with such happiness and cheerfulness that he might just have to kiss her again for it never to disappear.

"Nothing. Come on, let's go outside. It's kind of stuffy in here."

And he followed after her...yet, it was as if he was also following her to his death...

**

* * *

**

"This is _your_ fault!"

"_My_ fault?"

**"YES!!!" **

"What did I do again...?"

"You pathetic little...!! **ARGH!! **If we hadn't stopped at that inn, we wouldn't have wasted so much time!"

"Come now, don't deny that you were also tired..."

"Miroku, you were flirting with the innkeeper's wife, and if I hadn't been there, he would've _killed_ you..."

"Oooooh, so _that's_ why you're angry!"

"No, I'm angry because we were given an important mission and all you can think about is getting laid! IT'S BEEN A **MONTH** AND WE _**STILL**_ HAVEN'T FOUND THEM!!!"

"Please, Sango, my love, don't yell so loudly...and we still have some time to search for them..."

**"GRRR!!!** I'D KILL YOU WITH THE NEAREST **BROOMSTICK** IF IT WASN'T AGAINST THE RULES!!"

"_-sigh-_ What can I do to make it up to you?"

"Go get me some punch. Oh, and **DON'T** flirt with the high school girls! You'll be begging to be in hell if I catch you so much as _look_ at one of them!"

"But, Sango, I can't help where my eyes--"

**"JUST GO!!"**

A dark-haired man no older than nineteen cringed at the volume of his date, and hastily nodded in reply. He didn't dare utter any more words in case the raging fire surrounding her suddenly decided to gorge on him...he really had to stop pissing her off so much. She made promises rather than threats..._painful_ promises...

He sighed in complete boredom as he made his way to the crowded punch table. If he had been nice to Sango, maybe she would've at least cared to dance with him, but being anywhere near her at the moment was too dangerous. She could use this chance to loosen up a bit--ever since they were issued this mission, she had been tense, tense, and even tenser! Ugh, one month had passed, the equivalent of four back in his home. That was _a very_ long time to have a fruitless search.

Just what they were searching for? Well, it was hard to explain, and the information was confidential, anyway. All he knew was that his subjects were located in a school--or academy, whatever--in Tokyo. Well, there were many academies in the large city, and Imei Academy was their twenty-third guess.

Miroku poured his date's drink in a daze, his violet blue eyes nearly hiding behind his exhausted eye lids. How much more of this torture could he take? If this school wasn't it, then _they_ wouldn't be found anywhere! He wished he was a god so that he could easily descry the perimeter...

_Well, my first priority right now it to make sure Sango doesn't kill me...no, she'd prefer to castrate and then kill me. _He shook his head to ward off negative thoughts--no need to imagine what the 'Hell Slayer' would do to him if he returned with another laced drink. As he turned around, however, he bumped into a teenage girl, though because of his sharp reflexes, the cup in his hand didn't spill. _Thank goodness, I wouldn't want to ruin this pretty girl's costume...oooh, pretty girl, indeed... _

Kagome hated the fact that she was such a klutz! _If Inuyasha saw me now, he'd never let me live it down... Hmph, I think sadism runs in the dog demon family... _She raised her head to apologize to the guy she had bumped into, and was met with inquisitive violet eyes that seemed to...rustle a long forgotten memory in the depths of her mind. Did she know this person? _No, I'm sure I've never seen him before..._ Perhaps it was only déjà vu, then.

"I'm sorry, I should've--" Her sentence was interrupted when her body suddenly went rigid...why? Well, first of all, a certain someone's hand was on her ass...

**SLAP!**

"Stupid perverted assholes...don't know about my hanyou fiancé who'd ram his sword up their asses..." No need to stick around a lecherous moron for longer than a second, right?_ Good thing Inuyasha has a bottomless pit for a stomach or he would've beaten the living crap out of that guy._ Oh well, she needed to find her date before he went on a ramen rampage...

_Ah, that brings forth old memories._ A self-satisfied smile curved Miroku's lips as he stared after the annoyed miko, momentarily forgetting about his stinging cheek and his date's punch. _Not to mention that my mission has, as of now, been completed. _Oh my gods, that meant he didn't have to travel anymore! That meant no more pissed off Sango!

"Miroku!"

Shoot, there went his happiness. "S-Sango! I was just about to head over to our table!"

A beautiful young woman about a year younger than him soon appeared beside him with her arms crossed impatiently. Her hazelnut eyes glared directly into his, and he forced a charming smile on his handsome face...even if she could see right through him. "Don't think I didn't see you with that girl, ya lecherous numskull!"

"But, my love, I found--!"

"I _know_ already; I caught sight of a human Inuyasha on my way here. But we have other things to worry about right now." Her demeanor became serious, and she was intensely staring out the closest window, analyzing the outdoors with the precision of a hunter. His expression solemned as he did the same--when Sango sensed something, it was time for him to start worrying.

After finding nothing out of the ordinary, Miroku turned to his date and asked, "What was it that you sensed?"

"I never said I sensed something." Sango raked her slender hand through her chestnut bangs as she sighed before continuing, "More like I _saw_ someone."

_Not good...not good at all..._ "Whom?"

This time, her worry was clearly etched on her attractive face. "Meimori. And he isn't alone..."

* * *

**A/N: END! Well, only three weeks later...not too bad considering how much homework I have had. Sooo...this was part one of the Halloween Dance! Next part will be super action packed! Hmph, let's see if I can write good action. Hehe! Anyway, I love all of my reviewers and even you anonymous readers! Keep sending me such wonderful reviews because even if you haven't realized it, they keep me going! Why else do you think I haven't updated my other stories in years? :-D **

**Anymelon, Miroku and Sango have made their debut! WOOT! Merf, I tried to describe Rin and Kagome's costumes to the best of my ability, but it didn't work out. If you want me to send you guys a picture of their costumes just so that you can imagine it better, than say so in your reviews or just message me! The guys...well, you'll just have to use your imagination for that because I have yet to find a good pic...**

**Hmm...why is Meimori here with someone else? And who is that someone? Can Sesshoumaru live with himself after the chicken dance? Will Rin really give that pic to Eri? Can Inuyasha truly pay for a date with Kagome of all people?! And just who are Miroku and Sango, and how do they know our main characters? Stay tuned to find out! **

**REVIEW! Because I love you! **


	16. Unwelcomed Visitors

**A/N: WOOT! I said this chapter was going to be action packed...I kinda lied. Next chapter is action packed--ahem, yeah, there's another part to the Halloween Dance! :-D **

**Congrats to **2008** for being my 100th reviewer!!! WOOT!! And your prize? You get to give me an idea for a chapter and I'll write it! :-D Of course, credit will go to you, of course! Name something that you want to happen in this story and I'll put it in! If you didn't read this, then I will be sending you a PM so let me know if you read this message! **

**ANYONE WHO WANTS THE SAME PRIZE MUST COMPETE TO BE MY 200TH REVIEWER NOW!!! If I can get so far... :-D**

**Well, in the chapter after this one, I'll be posting a 'recap' summary of all that has happened so far, just because my chapters lately are so long and I don't want anyone to lose their minds trying to understand what just happened. That'll definitely be on chapter...14. Make sure to look for it in the beginning author's note if you want to know if you caught on to all that's going on!**

**THANKS TO MY BETA READER **KINKATIA** FOR BETA READING BESIDES ALL THE WORK SHE HAS TO DO! THANK YOU VERY MUCH AND YOU DESERVE A PRIZE! One day....muahahahaha! :-D **

**Sooo...happy reading! Enjoy the chapter! **

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**Oh My Gods! 16**

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Foreboding, in the form of an ominous black cloud, followed Sesshoumaru as he trailed after his fiancée to the small fountain behind the banquet hall. It nicked at his sixth sense incessantly, allowing paranoia to blind his mind's perceptive eye--every moment was one in which he thought he was being watched. He constantly looked over his shoulder and his golden eyes flicked from side to side, searching for something out of the ordinary.

Nothing...there was nothing there. Then why did he feel so uptight? Why did he feel like an unsuspecting animal seconds away from being caught in a predator's powerful jaws?

He felt sick to his stomach...something wasn't right...

"Hey, are you ok?"

The dog demon took a deep breath and gathered his wits. Though, when his eyes landed on Rin's concerned expression, his resolve immediately fled. She was in danger, and here he was, incapable of doing anything! Yet...what the hell was he supposed to do?

His instincts were hardly ever wrong--if he felt that something wasn't right, then shouldn't he be acting upon it? His unease increased at the thought of anything happening to Rin..._again_. This time, there was no guarantee that she'd be able to survive.

"I'm fine," he mumbled, preferring to keep his presentiment to himself, for now at least. The last thing he needed was to ruin her first dance with his paranoia. "What should we do now?"

She smiled brightly, though he figured she caught his lie. He was glad, however, that she refrained from commenting on it. "Well...I don't know actually." Rin took a swift look around the garden, glancing from the towering fountain in the center to the numerous rose bushes that surrounded it. "_-gasp-_ Yellow roses! Oooooh, they're so pretty!"

Sesshoumaru had to shake his head in pity of the teen who disregarded everything else in favor of admiring a bush of normal, useless flowers. How can such a simple part of life elicit a genuinely excited response from her? But, even so, he found himself walking after her, if only to keep his overprotective inner demon at bay.

_I've actually never seen yellow roses before,_ Rin thought, gliding a finger across the velvety petal of a blossomed rose, now entranced by its whirling pattern, _and yellow is my favorite color. Ok, maybe next to orange._

Since she was completely indulged in the mesmerizing flower, it came as a complete shock to her when another identical rose materialized to her right. No, it didn't appear out of thin air...because a clawed hand was wrapped around its perfect green stem recently cleaned of any thorns. Rin gazed from the flower to the demon offering it to her, and she smiled, rendered speechless by his abrupt display of...she didn't even know what to call it!

"Here," Sesshoumaru cut off a large amount of the stem with a quick snipe of his claws and tucked the flower behind her ear, allowing her cascading waves of obsidian hair to fall around the vibrant, sunny rose, "it suits you."

_Does he mean my costume or metaphorically?_ Rin hardly knew what to say, except that she was overcome with the sudden urge to envelope him in her arms and kiss him until the night turned into day. _Is he possessed?_ Maybe Inuyasha wasn't the only one who transformed on a new moon...

"Sessh..."

There it was again--the magnetic pull that denied her eyes the right to look anywhere else. His golden honey eyes melted with warmth, no longer frozen by the ice that surrounded him every waking moment; just by gazing at him, her eyes softened as well. What was she feeling right now? What should she call the fluttering of her heart, or the sudden flush of her cheeks?

It didn't matter now. All Rin noted was the narrowing space between them...and soon, she closed her eyes as well as parted her supple lips in anticipation of what was to come...

"Aw, this is so romantic!"

...which certainly wasn't that.

Sesshoumaru narrowed his eyes in contempt, immediately moving to stand in front of his fiancée protectively as he glared daggers at the asinine fool who just interrupted them. So _this_ was why his nerves were frayed--the person he hated most in his life was stalking him...or even worse, Rin. He had to suppress a savage growl at the thought of his _dear_ cousin getting anywhere near her..._again_, dammit!

"Have you nothing better to do than waste your time in the mortal realm, Meimori?" He spat, hoping that his older cousin would just sneer for a while and then leave, _without_ any bloodshed involved.

His feeling of unease multiplied ten fold--obviously, when it involved him, nothing as innocent as talking ever occurred...so what was the bastard planning this time?

The sable haired dog demon wearing a battle outfit similar to his cousin's merely smirked in response. "Torturing you is what I live for, my favorite cousin." Though, he soon sobered and cracked his knuckles in a silent warning. "I didn't come here to talk. You know what I want."

"And I'll gladly give it to you," the younger immortal responded, his tone of voice brimming with smooth ice. Sesshoumaru was relieved, however, that his cousin had yet to include Rin in their conversation--hell, he hadn't even spared her a glance! _That conniving bastard has something up his sleeve...I know he's keeping information from me, but what is it? _

"As much as I like watching dogs eat dogs, I can't exactly enjoy it while in this filthy realm."

Hmph..._now_ he found the missing link...

Sesshoumaru and Rin whipped their heads around when a sultry voice spoke from the shadows, and they were shocked when a beautiful demoness arrogantly made her way to stand beside Meimori. She flashed the couple--or rather, only Sesshoumaru--a coquettish smirk before yawning disinterestedly, drawing out her metal-tipped fan as if she was about to start fanning herself.

All the while, Rin just wondered how this woman could bear wearing tight, black leather from head-to-toe: a black leather vest, black leather pants, and black leather boots--black leather everything!

"Long time no see, Sesshoumaru," she drawled, her mischievous ruby eyes narrowing in appreciation of his...'costume'. "Looking good as ever. I sort of missed having you around as my eye candy." Not one of them missed how the dark-haired dog demon beside her frowned.

"Kagura, I see that you are still as insolent as ever." He glanced at his fiancée, whose ire doubled as the demoness openly ogled him, her eyes lighting in satisfaction. It was bad enough feeling like a piece of meat, but definitely worse when he knew that Rin was going to give him hell about it later...

"Some things never change..." She switched her gaze to Rin, and instantly, disgust filled her expression, "...especially when it comes to that little girl who always hangs around you. Are you going to start crying for your mommy any time soon, misfit?"

_Why do people feel the need to call me that?!_ "Excuse me?!" Rin stepped around her fiancée, anger clouding her mind. "At least I don't walk around with tight leather pants just so my ass wouldn't seem as flat!"

"Hm, it's not like you have any 'assets' to goad about. Don't worry, with me around, Sesshoumaru would never look at you twice--you don't have to keep stuffing your bra."

**"WHAT?!** I'll have you know that my--"

"No need to fret, my Rin; I love every single part of your body..." Meimori's statement made Rin flush while Sesshoumaru felt like sharpening his claws on his neck. Though, his expression soon became somber and he pursed his lips into a thin line. "We're wasting valuable time arguing about fact and crap. Let's go, cousin, or would you rather run to Kagura for a quick fuck?"

"I could use a quickie right about now...and gods know that the little misfit over there would break if he even _tried_ her..."

_That's it--this whore needs to be taught a lesson! _"I'm not going to let you insult me, nor will I be impassive like a certain someone here!" She glared at her fiancée, who ignored her all together. _What is wrong with him?! Why isn't he even trying to defend me?! Hell, he hardly got angry when Meimori flirted with me! _"Accept the fact that you're a whore--no doubt about it!"

"Should I even comment on your virginity, little girl? I bet you haven't even had your first kiss yet." Kagura was adding fuel to the raging fire when it came to pissing Rin off. The sad thing was that she was succeeding in it...without any interventions from a strangely taciturn silver haired dog demon. Why was that? Well, it was to her favor anyway, no need to argue against luck.

"Kagura--shut up already! We all know that _I_ gave Rin her first kiss!" Meimori growled at his companion, disregarding a protesting-but-blushing-for-some-reason Rin in the background. "Sesshoumaru, it's either we leave now, or we'll just have to begin here."

"You surely took your time spewing nonsense, dear cousin--I was just about to fall asleep. I'm ready when you are." He received a nod in return, and immediately, the weight of what he was about to do crashed upon his shoulders. His cousin came for one thing and one thing only--to kill him. The way his inhuman silver eyes glinted with malice leaked the secret...tonight, only one of them would survive.

Even though he was usually confident in his fighting skills...his presentiment had yet to leave him...who _was_ going to die tonight? _Are my instincts alerting me to...?_ No, he banished such thoughts from his mind. _This Sesshoumaru cannot abandon his kingdom. Meimori would do well to remember that._

"Don't forget to bring me along--the last thing I want is to be a babysitter for misfit over there." Kagura's crimson lips curved upwards in an evil smile; it never ceased to amuse her how easily the little human girl was riled.

Though, when it came to Rin, her hatred ran deep. It was hidden behind her never ending delight in the pain of others, but she did truly hate that weak bitch. Why? The answer was not a secret--Meimori knew why...and Sesshoumaru could guess.

The day Rin died would be a field day for her. _Actually, I already had my field day. _She inwardly smiled once she recalled the infamous 'incident' that those who remembered it kept locked in their memories. It was the happiest day of her life; sadly, she could never express her joy because a certain demon ruler in the Western Kingdom, not Sesshoumaru, would have her head.

_Oh well, the past will soon repeat itself. _

Rin was merely confused as she watched the exchange between the two cousins, and of course, the flat-ass whore Kagura. _What are they talking about? Where are they going?_ She blinked, and then set her eyes on her fiancé, ready to--wait, why in the world were his eyes glowing blue?!

And true enough, Sesshoumaru's eyes were covered in a sheet of a soft blue light, while the rest of his body soon followed pursuit. His lips were moving, though she couldn't exactly hear the words he chanted. _What is he doing? _

She could, however, feel immense energy floating off of him in waves--pure, powerful energy that enticed her and terrified her at the same time. Her eyes were glued on him, carefully observing the way his lips moved along with his chant to the way his energy seemed to swirl around him in a pillar of brilliant light. _This is the first time that I get to see an immortal in action..._

It awed her; she'd at least give him credit for astounding her. _But the others..._ She glanced at them, wondering what they were doing this whole entire time without uttering a word, and her cinnamon eyes must have widened three times its size at the sight!

"No way..." Both Meimori and Kagura were enveloped in the same pillar of light as Sesshoumaru... Maybe she was a little airheaded, but it didn't take a genius to piece everything together and figure out that her fiancé was just about to...! "No way in hell! You're **not** leaving me here!"

Without a second thought, Rin penetrated the closest pillar of light and threw her arms around Sesshoumaru. A bright white flash blinded her...and afterwards...

...they were all gone.

Little did they know...that someone had been watching their whole display...someone who was a mortal...and mortals absolutely _could_ not know of the existence of immortals except for special circumstances...

...and this someone was a smirking Yuka.

**

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**

How the hell did they get separated again?! Argh, was it truly so hard to keep track of his fiancée?! He grumbled impatiently to himself, deciding that he should attempt to search for her outside the building incase she had wanted to breathe in fresh air. Well, despite the fact that not having his enhanced sense of smell made him feel vulnerable and somewhat incomplete, he was actually glad that it was a new moon--all the scents and loud music from the dance would have driven him over the edge...

Sesshoumaru and Rin had basically vanished from the face of the earth given that he had yet so see them at all tonight; he had not even caught a _glimpse_ of the immortal's trademark icy silver hair. When he and Kagome _finally_ arrived at the dance, instead of meeting with their dorm mates, they stood in the middle of excited people literally jumping off the walls because of an intense dance they had witnessed. _What_ dance? It surpassed his knowledge, though his fiancée suggested that perhaps it was his brother and the psychotic bitch.

The day Sesshoumaru, the proud Prince of the Western Lands, participated in any 'intense' dance whatsoever would be the day he danced like a chicken!

...Could that have been true?

Gah, it was all too confusing!

But his only headache at the moment was trying to find Kagome in what he perceived was a maze of college buildings and random forested areas. Students became scarce as he progressed farther away from the ballroom...and as he strayed from the main path, light also became rare. Damn, he wished he at least had _some_ kind of night vision...

Inuyasha finally gave up and stopped in the middle of a small clearing, now completely lost and alone. He couldn't smell his previous tracks, nor could he see where exactly he was going--being human _tonight_ of all nights sucked! Now what was he supposed to do? He doubted that Kagome would have gone this far just for a stroll! _I knew I should've checked those damn restrooms... Keh! I can't believe I'm fucking lost! _

This was all his fiancée's fault! Hmph, saying that she'd be right back--as if! He couldn't help it if his hunger was never sated and he was tempted to sneak around the buffet table! But when he returned to their table, she suddenly disappeared! "Where the fuck **is** she, dammit?! And where the hell am I?!"

"Unsurprisingly, you can never keep track of your alleged mate, Inuyasha."

_Who in the seven fucking hells was that?! _His violet eyes darkened in suspicion--he wasn't alone, and without detecting the woman's scent or clearly hearing her apathetic voice, he couldn't tell where she was coming from. "Who are you? Show yourself!"

"Of course you wouldn't remember me. All the more amusing, I suppose."

"Keh! If you have business with me, then stop hiding like a damn coward!" The human-turned-hanyou was beyond confused at this point--this mystery woman obviously knew him and Kagome...and he was _supposed_ to know her. And what did she mean by 'of course you wouldn't remember me'?!

"Tsk, tsk. I see that your temper hasn't changed much either." At long last, Inuyasha was able to make out the silhouette of the woman coming towards him at a steady pace, and soon enough, she completely revealed herself.

Decked in black plants and a deep burgundy lace-up corset top, she was attractive--as part of the male species, he had to admit it. Her long, dark hair fell until her hips and callous mahogany eyes accented her expressionless face. Moreover...as continued his speculation, he noticed that her dainty hands were placed on top of two holsters hanging from her belt...what those two large pouches were for went beyond his knowledge...

However, there was a distinctive feature about this woman that had him apprehensive and more baffled than he initially thought possible. For some reason...as his eyes passed over her hair and face...this woman looked remarkably like Kagome. Sure, there were differences, but...damn, were they related in some way? No, the idea was impossible--he neglected to take into account that she carried the strong aura of an immortal...

"Who are you and what the hell do you want?" Inuyasha narrowed his eyes and squared his shoulders, trying to give off the illusion that he wasn't scared to death.

He was human and weaker than usual--his demon senses completely retreated and overall, this bitch was practically threatening his life. Her motive was unknown to him; for all he knew, she could kill him without much effort if he didn't watch his back.

_I might as well let Miss Sorceress Wench kill me with that damn Slipper of Death first._ Yes, he rather be murdered by his fiancée and a slipper...

"Again with the inane introductions," she sighed languidly as though she were genuinely annoyed. "I am Kikyou."

"Ok, Kikyou, now can you please answer the rest of my fucking question?" _The more time I spend talking with her, the more I feel like a rabbit about to become a wolf's dinner._

"Come now, why so hostile? For all you know, I'm the one who should be hostile...since you have something that I desire." Kikyou mirthlessly smiled and treaded closer to the hanyou-turned-human, reveling in the way he gritted his teeth and took a step back every time she did so. It was futile, though; with a sinking heart, he realized that he had backed into a tree trunk, and there was no evident route to escape.

_There has to be some kind of way to distract her! I can't fight her like this, not when I'm a mortal and she's immortal! _"I don't even know you--but if you just go away, then I won't have to resort to violence."

If only he was a demon right now...he wouldn't have to fear for his life like some helpless whelp. _Keh, this is something Kagome would tell me to do: run away. I have to get a grip on myself! This wench is as harmless as Rin is to Sesshoumaru! Oh shit, that wasn't a good analogy..._

"I'll leave when I get what I want," she said venomously, and in a swift movement, she drew out two objects from her holsters that Inuyasha had never seen before in his life. They both glinted deadly, and the worst thing was that she pressed their cool silver metal against his throat, digging deeply into his skin. "You see these? They're called guns--pretty little machines mortals created to penetrate flesh. But mine are very special..."

Shit! Was she going to kill him with those so called 'special' guns?! He wouldn't stand a chance! "I don't have anything that a bitch face like you would want, dammit!"

"Ha, don't make me laugh, half-breed." Kikyou leaned her head in closer, now almost nose to nose with him, though instead of trying to intimidate him, she was analyzing his eyes. What would she deduce from that? "You haven't awakened yet." He figured that it was a statement and not a question.

"Look, you're confusing the shit out of me and I hate being confused!" _Well_...it _was_ true.

Her dark brown eyes narrowed, and she drew away, but her twin handguns were still firmly pressed against his neck. "You haven't reached your full potential, meaning that you haven't realized your true power. No wonder you're not resisting me right now..."

"Keh! It's because I don't want to!"

She ignored his protest. "I suppose the other three are in the same dilemma. This ruins everything." Inuyasha wasn't even going to begin wondering what crazy bitch face was talking about now...

Could someone please tell him what was going on and why this bitch insisted on cutting off his air supply with those weird-looking weapons?! This bitch face appeared out of nowhere looking identical to Kagome and then started demanding something that he knew nothing of!

It was as if she had met him in a past life or something along those lines! _And what does she mean about me not realizing my full power? For fuck's sake, I hate being left in the dark! _

"Listen and listen closely, Inuyasha, for you will need this information if you wish to survive in the near future." Well, there wasn't much of an option for him since she wasn't about to lighten the pressure her guns were putting on his throat... "Your mother came from a family of seers. Even though mortal, she retained the power to see visions of the future, which _always_ came true."

From reading her journal and talking to Mrs. Higurashi a month ago, Inuyasha remembered that much about his mother. He silently consented, however, that he had never actually witnessed her innate ability. "What does it have to do with me?"

"Be quiet and listen!" He rolled his eyes and mused if he tackled the bitch, then perhaps he would have enough time to flee without being killed in the process. Nah, he could hardly move his head, much less move his whole body... "The ability is passed down to one person from generation to generation, and since you are the only member of the present generation, _you_ inherited your mother's power."

"Bullshit!" There was no fucking way he was going to believe that! "I never had a vision in my entire life and it won't start now!"

"Want to bet?" Kikyou whispered in a deadly calm voice, her expression serious and eyes solemn. "Of course you wouldn't have had a vision--you haven't awakened."

_Dammit, Kagome...where the fuck are you?_ This bitch was insane! "Stop saying that! I don't like hitting women, but if I have to do it to make you get away from me, then I will, ya goddamn psycho bitch face!"

**WHAM! **

Black dots instantly clouded his vision and his head lolled to one side as he tried to regain his bearings. _She freakin' hit me with her gun! _It had hit his temple and cheek, causing a splitting headache along with some swelling. The pain of it curled his toes concealed in his fitting black boots and his short nails strove to bury into the thick bark currently poking his hack--to sum it all up, it was agonizing for his human self!

"Fuck," Inuyasha hissed, biting his lip to better withstand the stinging pain of being slapped with a fucking gun--as well as a poor attempt to settle his spinning head, "that shit hurt!" Was that how a gun was used? To whack people with it and hoped they died?! Seemed plausible with what just happened...

"Don't interrupt me with your pitiful knowledge on your origins. Hmph, there's no use in denying the truth." Kikyou sounded like a true sadist; she was unfeeling to the pain she had recently caused the immoral--he still seemed like he was fighting to stay conscious, however. Maybe she hit him a little _too_ hard... "But I need to know where she hid _it_, and only you can give me that information."

"W-What?" It was difficult to concentrate on one thing, especially when this insane woman with abnormal strength kept spewing random, nonsensical crap.

"I guess a little jumpstart won't hurt...at least for me." Before he could utter another word, she shifted one of her silver handguns only to press it against his temple on the bruised side of his face. He tried to glance at it out of the corners of his eye sockets, but it barely worked; hopefully, tonight wouldn't be the end of him.

"Don't worry, my guns aren't loaded with bullets--I don't need them. You see, I am a miko, as well as an immortal, and I merely transfer my energy into the gun to act as bullets. It won't hurt you too much, since you're unfortunately a human right now, but it does feel worse than a punch. This will, however, awaken your dormant ability to see visions. Why? That's for you to figure out."

All Inuyasha processed was 'miko' and 'punch'. Since when did priestesses punch people? And were those little polka-dotted butterflies fluttering around her severely twisted face? Ah...they reminded him of Rin's atrocious scarf...colorful scarf...

Kikyou smiled, and leaned forward until her lips touched the base of his ear. "Next time we meet, half-breed, I will be expecting the information I came for, and you will give it to me willingly or not." She then placed a chaste kiss upon his rouged cheek. "Relay a message for me to Kagome: I will stop at nothing to get the Shikon no Tama."

**BANG! **

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**A/N: END! SHORTENED! **


	17. Duel in Deathland: Part One

**A/N: HI!**

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**Oh My Gods! 17**

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"Where is he...?"

Kagome glanced around the spacious ballroom, searching for her fiancé in the midst of the crowd. Unfortunately, his unmistakable snow white hair had vanished into long, jet black tresses that were not very distinct amongst the other students here; not to mention that his most distinguishing feature--his dog ears--were also gone. How was she supposed to find a specific human...in a group of humans?

If he wasn't at the buffet table...or their main table...then where could a hungry hanyou have run off to?

She sighed in dismay and looked down at her empty punch glass. Their table of six was vacant--she had yet to spot Rin or Sesshoumaru, Inuyasha had probably turned into one of the dust bunnies he had 'failed vanquishing', and there was no one to occupy her time with other than dinner utensils and her cup. With what sounded akin to a growl, she shoved her cup away and folded her arms on the table.

"Ok, if I was a hanyou-turned-human with four stomachs in a crowded place surrounded by _more_ humans, where would I be?" It didn't take her long to find an answer, which she immediately crossed off as improbable in Inuyasha's case. "Hmph, I'd be finding my date."

"Excuse me, are these two seats taken?"

The raven-haired miko snapped her head up and blinked at the sight of a couple gazing at her expectantly. They seemed a bit older than her, most likely college first years, yet what surprised her most was the way the charming midnight blue-eyed guy addressing her seemed so familiar. _Wait--he's the pervert from the punch table! Whoah, he has a girlfriend? _She instantly felt bad for the pretty brunette accompanying him.

"No, go right ahead." Kagome smiled as the couple took a seat across from her.

However, she still felt that she had seen these two people from somewhere...she just couldn't remember them at the moment. It clung to the back of her mind, slipping from her grasp like elusive water each time she _almost_ recalled their faces. She shook her head; Imei Academy was a very big place and she could've seen them any where...

_Yet...I can't get rid of this feeling...like I should know them but I don't..._ "I'm sorry, but have we ever met before?" _Stupid Kagome! That's not something you ask strangers!  
_

Their reactions were interesting, either way...

The female of the pair swiftly answered, "Nope!" while her apparent boyfriend grinned and stated, "Why, as a matter of fact, yes!" Now she was glaring at him with blazing fire brimming in her chestnut eyes as he cowered in fear. Kagome could only cock her head in confusion.

"Miroku, it's not the right time or place! She's _not_ supposed to know yet!" The brunette whispered furiously, believing that the miko across from her couldn't hear but was quite mistaken, actually. "Shut your big mouth and let me lead!"

"But, Sango, my dearest, we're already here speaking to her, and she obviously heard what you just said..." The handsome man sighed in relief when his date suddenly blanked and turned to Kagome, whose raised eyebrow and propped chin proved his words.

"Crap..."

"Yes, crap indeed..."

"Um...am I allowed to ask why you're talking about me now?" Kagome hardly knew what to make of her current situation, or why these people even _knew_ her. And what wasn't she supposed to know yet?

_Knowing my knack for getting into the strangest situations ever, I'm probably not only engaged to a hanyou god, but the long lost queen of a mystical kingdom like Sailor Moon. Hmm...I always wanted a Sailor Scout outfit..._

"Since you think you're so full of wisdom, why don't you explain it to her, eh?" The woman named Sango glowered at her date, crossing her arms firmly against her chest. She also noticed how that perverted moron's eyes were now drawn to her breasts...but she resisted the urge to smack him if only to spare the miko from the sight.

Nah, she didn't care.

**Smack! **

After venting her pent up anger, Sango smiled in self-satisfaction. "You can talk now, Miroku."

A bright red handprint adorned his cheek...though, he liked telling himself that it was a mark of triumph. It helped to soothe his pain, at least... "Well, Lady--"

"_-cough-_ Suck up... _-cough-_" He shot Sango a knowing look; just because he liked to refer to his superiors as such didn't mean he was sucking up...right?

"As I was saying before I was rudely interrupted," the brunette only rolled her eyes at his attempt at an angry glower--seriously, he was incapable of even swatting a fly, "Lady Kagome, we--"

"Say what?! _Lady_ Kagome?" She couldn't help cutting him off, since she was not used to being addressed so highly.

_When I first met Inuyasha in person, he called me Princess Kagome, but that was for a totally different reason...and yup, I can't believe I'm blushing right now._ Curse that wretchedly handsome hanyou prince!

"Yes, Lady Kagome; it is your formal name besides Princess and Queen Kagome. Or at least, that is in the immortal realm."

"You mean 'was'," his date corrected. He merely nodded, mentally berating his past and present tense use. That could cost him points on his future term papers...

The miko felt like ripping out her hair and walking around barefooted because she was so confused. "You guys are doing a horrible job at explaining this...whatever this is!"

"It isn't something easy to explain in the first place. Sango and I were sent on a mission by a prince, whom I cannot dispose his name for certain reasons, from the immortal realm to act as your, Prince Sesshoumaru's, Lady Rin's, and Prince Inuyasha's guardians."

"...I think half of my brain blew up trying to understand that...just lay off the Prince and Lady crap from now on..."

Ok, basically, some prince in the immortal realm--she plausibly never even heard of him in her entire life, anyway--sent these two on a mission to act as her and everyone else's guardians? It did explain why they knew her name...but why did she need a guardian?

There were too many damn questions at once! _Gods, why can't anything be handed to you on a silver platter in life?! _And please let it be drugged with sanity...

Miroku shared a glance with his girlfriend, shrugging as if admitting 'I don't know what to do now'. She shook her head and unwillingly took the spot light. "Look, all that you have to know is that starting right at this moment, your little group increased from four to six. I can't really reveal much without upsetting my superior, and until further notice, I'm not supposed to be saying anything at all."

"So you expect me to believe that you two are mine and my friends' guardians and I should welcome you with open arms?" Kagome stared at them levelly. "I'm sorry, but until I get an okay from the rest of my so called 'group', I'm not--"

"Hold that thought--where exactly _are_ Sesshoumaru, Rin, and Inuyasha?" Miroku suddenly asked, his lighthearted tone of voice becoming serious in a split second. The change surprised the spluttering miko--who in the world did he think he was to interrupt her when she was finally making sense of this?!

"Excuse me--"

"There's no time for any protests! We need to know where they are a.s.a.p.!" Sango definitely ignored what sweet and patient meant as she drilled Kagome for answers she truly had no clue of. Why was it so important to them of _all_ people?! Besides, what could _they_ accomplish that she hadn't been able to?

However, the miko relented with a sigh. _I might as well trust them if only to get Sango back from drill sergeant mode. _"I don't know--I was looking for them with no luck. It's as if they're not even here in the first place."

"Miroku...I'm going to skin you alive...I _swear_ that you will _never_ have any children..."

He immediately paled. She was extremely pissed off...damn! "B-But Sango! It's not my--"

**"IT'S YOUR ENTIRE FAULT! PREPARE TO BE CASTRATED!"** The loud bellow caught the attention of neighboring students sitting at nearby tables, all of whom stared and whispered at their direction.

It was pointless for Kagome to cover up her face now... _Thank gods Yuka, Ayumi, and Eri decided not to come to the Halloween Dance or I'd never hear the end of it... _

Miroku knew he had done wrong, but did his girlfriend have to threaten his manhood?! If he had no dignity, he would be physically shielding his groin from her wrath! Oh wait...he sacrificed his dignity to Sango a long time ago... "Ok, ok! It's my--"

**"THE HELL IT IS! GRRRR!!!!"** A pissed-off woman was a very frightening sight... Kagome unconsciously conceded that Rin had met her match: Sango. "I'll save your ass-kicking for later--redeem yourself by taking Kagome and searching for Inuyasha!"

"But wouldn't La--I mean, Kagome be able to sense if he's in danger or not through their bond?"

"GAH! You damn idiot! Of course she wouldn't because he's _human_ tonight! The Bond of Mates--which is _only_ established by an inuyoukai--can't work when the inu mate is human! Why else did you think he is vulnerable on his human night besides the obvious?! Hurry, go find him!"

"Crap! I completely forgot about that--knowing him he's already gotten himself into trouble!"

"What?! Inuyasha's in--" Kagome's sentence was abruptly cut off when Miroku bolted out of his seat and dragged her off of her comfy chair. "Hey, wait a second! I have to know--"

"Sorry, there's no time! Ask later!"

Sango watched the two bound off, or more like Miroku running for his life while Kagome stumbled behind him. She sighed and immediately headed in the opposite direction, hoping that the couple she was looking for was just spending quality time together instead of the...worse case scenario. No, it was wistful thinking; it was impossible that a seemingly peaceful night like this would be spent cuddling...or even making out.

_The girls don't have the power to fight immortals...at least Rin doesn't. But...if Sesshoumaru decides to perform a Shurikan...then maybe...argh! This is all happening too soon! Kagome and Rin aren't even eighteen yet! _She inwardly cursed the cause of all this mayhem--it was strange, though, because she hardly knew what or whom to blame.

"Hopefully Meimori and Kagura haven't gotten to Sesshoumaru and Rin...if so, things will get ugly..."

**

* * *

**

_I'm never doing something so stupid again...I should know better than tagging along on Sesshoumaru's piss fights!_ Rin groaned and rubbed her throbbing head, which had inevitably impacted the ground during her fall a few moments ago. How did she fall? Well, she had been suspended in air after being transported to the middle of nowhere... _Wait, where the heck am I? _

She took a swift look around from her seat on the rocky ground--and dare she say that it looked like she was in a desert, only with bloody skies and peculiar black land. It was a mountainous area, however...the summits were so tall that the they even pierced crimson clouds...which was why she could see them so clearly above her head...

_Hold on...I'm on a mountain...specifically, at the _top _of a mountain... _Her face paled--how far above sea level was she?!

Shaking the thought from her head, she continued her observation. _Geez, it's like Death World over here..._ Every single geographical feature reminded her of the emptiness of death; a void that mercilessly absorbed life. Now on her two feet, Rin let her curiosity control her movements and tentatively treaded towards the edge of a cliff, glancing down to see a rapid of burning red liquid thousands of feet below her...

"Oh my gods, it's a river of lava..." Color once again drained from her cheeks, and she quickly shifted her gaze, now settling on finding her fiancé...oh, right, and the other two. "Where could they be...?"

"Behind you."

"Eeek!" Rin shrieked and immediately twisted around to come face to face with her long lost fiancé... His handsome face was expressionless, though; she could tell by the way his golden honey eyes gleamed that he was royally pissed off...at _her_. "Stop trying to give me a heart attack! Sheesh!"

"Why are you here?" He wasted no time beating around the bush, and his eyes pierced into hers, demanding a solid answer without any crap involved. His frigid voice sent chills running through her spine--he wasn't pissed off, he was _furious_.

"I don't even know where 'here' is..."

"I'm not playing one of your childish games!" A gasp escaped her lips when he abruptly grabbed her wrist and hauled her towards him, forcing her to meet his icy gaze. "You were **not** supposed to follow me; do you realize the consequences of what you have just done?"

"No, I **don't **know what I've just done because you were too busy gawking over that _whore_ to tell me anything!" Rin wrenched her wrist away from his tight grip, glaring at him steadily without succumbing to his penetrating gaze.

"My affairs are _none_ of your business!"

"If you haven't already noticed, Prince High and Mighty, I'm your fiancée, and until we get divorced, there will be a) _no_ secrets between us, b) _no_ cheating on me, and c) _no_ confusing me. Oh, and what do you know? I think all three are happening, especially part c!"

Sesshoumaru growled and was about to tell her a thing or two about over stepping her boundaries, but he suddenly stopped before he could say a word. Rin blinked in befuddlement, musing that perhaps his brain exploded due to frustration, though without notice, she was suddenly swept into his arms and magically suspended into air...again. No, hold on--her fiancé sprouted wings! He flew approximately twenty feet above the ground!

Her wide, cinnamon eyes raked over the long, sparkling appendages attached to his back, holding them both in place in air, and an awed smile crossed her face. _Wow, they're so long I don't think they'd even fit in our dorm room! _They weren't white wings like an angel's, either; they were magnificent silver that glittered as they enclosed around them, acting as a protective barrier. But a barrier against what?

**BOOM! **

_What was that?!_ Rin could only hear an explosion from below them, and a flash of a dark blue light almost appearing to be black peeked through her wing-made alcove. After the debris cleared up, Sesshoumaru unfolded his wings and allowed her to view the remnants of the cliff...um...there was no cliff actually...

_It blew up... _Her eyes traced the origins of that blue explosion and instantly discovered two figures coming towards them, one of which had wings as long as Sesshoumaru's.

"Is that...?" She didn't need to finish her sentence; the two figures soon cleared to reveal a smirking Meimori and a disgruntled Kagura. The dark-haired dog demon was the one with the wings, but unlike her fiancé's, his were raven--a deep blue bordering on black. _Wow...is it an immortal thing to have wings? Why doesn't Kagura show off hers?_

"Meimori..." Sesshoumaru whispered the name as though he were spitting poison. He lowered himself and Rin until their feet touched the graveled ground. "Shall we begin?"

"I'm the one who has been waiting, cousin." His expression was lit with arrogance, still adorned by his trademark cocky smirk. "Come on, I'll let you have the first hit."

"Stop!" Rin shouted before the silver-haired dog demon could react, and planted herself in the middle of the two incase they carried out their cryptic mission. It was a risky move, but what did she care? "Why do you two hate each other so much?! You're **cousins** for goodness sake! You're flesh and blood whether you like it or not--and you two rather kill each other than act as a true family?! It's sickening!"

"And these words of wisdom are brought to you by the ever so sagacious preaching misfit." Kagura rolled her eyes in boredom. "Yawn. Humans are too emotional for me."

"Shut up already! You talk _way_ too much for someone who spends her day on her back!"

"Rin, don't speak nonsense. Step aside." Sesshoumaru ignored his fiancée's strife with the wind sorceress, while his gaze didn't stray from Meimori, and vice versa.

"No!" She merely stomped the ground and angrily faced him. "Dammit, Sesshoumaru! You must be the most selfish person I've ever met!"

"Is that so?" He sounded as if he no care in the world, and that served to fuel Rin's anger.

"You have a family, Sesshoumaru, unlike me." The dark-haired teen shook her head, smiling bitterly. Anyone could tell that it was a painful subject for her, though were her listeners doing much of anything? No. Loathing consumed them and erected a barrier around their ears to prevent them from listening to reason.

Rin knew this; however, she continued. "You have a brother who obviously looked up to you, and I recently found out that you have a mother. You have two cousins and an uncle, and you _had_ a father whom you remember and still respect greatly. I have _nothing_."

"There is no time for--"

Tears created a glassy effect on her eyes and she bit back a sob. "Shut up! I don't even remember what my parents _looked_ like, or what my brothers looked like! And here you are with a family, dammit, and all you want to do is get rid of them, push them away like they don't exist! I bet that if you made an effort to appreciate them, you wouldn't be here wanting to kill Meimori! Hatred is not worth more than life--is it so hard to understand that?"

Rin wiped her eyes, but clapping soon interrupted the tense silence that had ensued after she addressed the two cousins, and she whipped her head around to glower at Kagura. _Why does she have to be so obnoxious?!_ She restrained herself from running over to her and clawing her gritty ruby eyes out--maybe she could sell them on eBay...

"Bravo! That little speech moved me so much that I might just start bawling my eyes out! But do you see any tears coming? No! Why? Because I am a demon, just like Sesshoumaru and Meimori. Let's get one thing straight, little girl--unlike humans, we demons don't value petty emotions. Love for a family member is nonexistent here in the immortal realm, so save us the pity talk and crawl back to the hole you came from."

"I have had enough from you!" There was only so much a raging teen could take from a cynical demoness! "Are you incapable of saying nice things about people? I think you need to enroll into the nearest love and care facility!"

"Oh yeah?" Kagura's lips curved into a smirk and she walked towards Rin, who hadn't moved from her spot in between the suspicious dog demon cousins. She didn't halt her leisure 'stroll' until she was a hairsbreadth away from the obviously younger girl. "Why should I say anything nice about you when there's nothing to tell? You act as if you know everything about people's troubles when in reality you hold just as much resentment as everyone else. Don't stand here and preach if you hardly know what you're talking about, misfit."

"And who do you think you are, huh? Since you seem to know so much about me, then who do I hate?" Rin stood her ground, not in the least intimidated by the taller woman.

"That's an easy one--you, the wise little girl who tells others not to hate their relatives, absolutely detested your own family."

"That's a lie!" How can she hate people she didn't even remember?!

"You're probably telling yourself that it's impossible because you don't even recall what they looked like, but it's true. You hated them enough to loathe the way they talked to the way they walked. Your brothers always ridiculed you for being remotely different, and your parents were always ashamed of you, always trying to _hide_ you from the world."

_She has to be lying! She has to be! I...they...there's no way she can know that much about my life!_ "S-Shut up! Not only are you a whore, but a damn liar, too!"

The demoness shook her head, pitying the fact that her inferior was in denial. "Why would I waste my precious time lying? You can ask Meimori or Sesshoumaru--dog demons can decipher lies. Go ahead; ask them." Rin was reluctant to give in to doubt, but she turned to her fiancé, silently inquiring the validity of her words. She was met with an empty stare, yet his lack of response revealed his answer.

"I still don't believe you," the teen spat, refusing to accept Kagura's words as credible.

"Little girl, why do you think you can't remember them? It wasn't because you were young--your memories were blocked."

_Blocked? _The teen frowned. _Is she...is she telling the truth? _

"Kagura," Meimori at last interfered since he did not like the way their conversation was progressing. _If she reveals too much, then father will have my head! _"That's enough. Lay off Rin and keep to yourself for once!"

She cast him a side long glance and spared him no other acknowledgement. "You see, one day you just couldn't take it any more. Your hatred for them controlled all your other emotions and you inadvertently used a certain little gift from a certain special friend at the _wrong_ time. In only a second, you--"

**"Kagura! **You fucking impudent whoring **bitch!** Just **shut** the fucking hell **up!"** He had to fight the urge to strangle her! _ARGH! Her running mouth is going to ruin all of my plans! _

Meanwhile, Sesshoumaru silently watched him going mentally insane with sudden fury, and put his attention on Kagura and Rin. He was curious as to why his dear cousin would want to keep such information from his fiancée... Besides, the demoness was touching upon a delicate subject among immortals--who had given Rin such a gift? _A gift that only immortals can give... _He sensed no apparent power in her of any kind, so what was Kagura babbling about?

And what was that about her memories being blocked?

_The same could have happened to Inuyasha and me... _The wheels were turning in his head, and his eyes slightly widened in enlightenment. _No, it _did_ happen to us, to the four of us! Myouga and Jaken were lying--our memories were suppressed; we never suffered amnesia!_

"Misfit, in the span of a second, you killed your entire family. I'm not saying you went insane and killed them with a knife. No, they all died instantly..._because_ your friend made the mistake of giving you _his_ gift. Because _he_ made the mistake of trusting a _mortal_ with the power of the gods."

"What in the seven hells are you talking about?! There's no possible way that _you_ can know this!"

"Oh right, how _do_ I know this? I watched it unfold. I watched the perfect little girl whom everyone loved snap and destroy what she held dear. So you're truly not better than me or any one for the matter--you are a spoiled brat who takes advantage of other people's--"

**SLAP! **

"Don't say anything more. Or I'll do much worse than slap you." Rin's eyes were covered by her dark bangs as she gritted her teeth and fisted her hands. "I am not like you. You know why? Because I don't make up for my traumatic childhood by tormenting others and taking joy in their pain. Does that sound like any one you would know, Ka-whor-a?"

**POW! **

Rin fell to the ground with a loud thud, hissing as she placed a hand over her protesting jaw. She couldn't believe what just happened...she had forgotten how painful a punch was... _I'm sure I've never been punched in the face before, too..._ It was ironic with all her past beatings at her old orphanage. Oh, and better yet, Sesshoumaru had yet to come and intervene between her and Kagura. _He's a great future husband, that's for sure. _

"Kagura, I'm going to **kill** you, dammit!" Meimori was literally freaking out over by his post, but he was not about to get involved with a pissed off wind sorceress just yet. _Fuck! I can already hear Kizurei saying 'I told you so' over and over again... But besides that, she just hit my woman! _

Yet, the wind sorceress ignored all else and glowered at the irritating human beneath her feet. She moved her black booted foot to harshly grind into her abdomen, flipping Rin onto her back, and her seething ruby eyes pierced her cinnamon ones. Kagura even went so far as to mercilessly crush the delicate yellow rose that had been in her hair like she would trample on a cigarette, smirking as it elicited a protesting gasp from Rin.

As it turned out...Sesshoumaru wasn't the only sadist in the immortal realm...

"Little girl, you're in for one helluva beating--starting _now_."

* * *

**A/N: END! WOOT! There's gonna be another part to this sooo...ahem. I like how all three parts are titled Halloween Dance and everyone** **only spent like ten minutes there...LoL!**

**Next chappie even more action-packed because everyone's gonna fight and even more people show up! It's half way done so expect a chapter by Halloween! It's my favorite holiday and it'll be the two-year birthday of this story! HURRAY!**

**Anyway...who's showing up next chapter? What's this about new allies? Inu's a seer, and what's his connection to Kikyou? Did Rin really kill her family, and what the hell is a Shurikan? Who sent Sango and Miroku? What's Yuka going to do now that she witnessed Sessh using his immortal powers?**

**YOUR QUESTIONS WILL BE REVEALED THROUGH OUT THE STORY! JUST STAY TUNED!**

**AND I LOVE ALL OF YOU! THANK YOU FOR LETTING ME REACH OVER 100 REVIEWS! THIS IS MY SECOND OUT OF EIGHTEEN STORIES THAT HAS SO MUCH REVIEWS! Well, our next goal is 200! Let's make it happen!**


	18. Duel in Deathland: Part Two

**A/N: O.O Here's the chappie as I promised! HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO THIS STORY! TWO YEARS AND IT HAS THIRTEEN CHAPPIES! AND HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ALL THE OTHER STORIES I POSTED TWO YEARS AGO AND NEVER UPDATED! Ooops. **

**This goes to **Inuyome***: **It's ok! I had the same problem when I first found out about this site--for some reason, I just couldn't get an account until it finally worked. Or I just didn't feel like getting an account...whatever, it was four years ago. Anyway, you brought up a good point--Inu and Kags dont have many romance scenes. I'll have to fix that, right? Yup yup...maybe next chappie...you won't be happier with this one cuz it's more action than lovey dovey...well, I **_**tried**_** with the action...**

**Anymelon...Hopefully this is the last part of the Halloween Dance...**

**LoL! It's Halloween and it's the end of the Halloween Dance! WOOT! I'm right on track! :-D Have a Happy Halloween peeps! Go beg for lots candy like I do! And send me one-third of your candy to me via UPS...I'm planning on stealing a UPS truck for me own 'personal' use... **

**Chappie not beta read cuz it's super long and it would've been hell for her! So if there's a mistake, deal with it until further notice! I tried to separate paragraphs so that it wouldn't seem all bunched up and discourage you from reading! **

**Hope you enjoy! :-D **

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**Oh My Gods! 18**

* * *

"Inuyasha! Inuyasha, wake up! Please just wake up!"

She rustled and rattled him, but nothing worked. Why didn't it work?! He...he was just unconscious...he had to be! Then why wasn't he showing any signs of arousing? At long last she ceased jostling his prone body and just stared at his face, feeling confused, worried, and overall disbelief.

This was what happened when she left him alone for a few minutes!

Kagome stopped herself from being ridiculous and shedding tears for someone who was not dead. He wasn't dead...he couldn't be... Gods, this wasn't something she needed to be unsure about! Of course he was alive! She just had to stop overreacting and save the tears for an actual funeral!

Although...as she once again scrutinized his face for any signs of him waking up, she noted his lidded eyes... Reaching over, she lifted his eye lids, and recoiled when she saw that his eyes had rolled to the back of his head. _Oh my gods..._

After she had been abruptly dragged out of the banquet hall by a person she hardly knew, they both headed in a random direction in search of Inuyasha until they heard a gunshot. She hadn't even been thinking properly--Kagome had taken off like a madwoman, leaving behind a protesting Miroku as she furiously hoped that the shot had _nothing_ to do with her missing fiancé.

It was then that she was met with the sight of him lying on his stomach, completely immobile on the grassy ground.

She desperately wanted to know what had occurred in her absence. At this point, she was going to drive herself crazy with unanswered questions._ He's not hurt anywhere...how long has he been like this? Either way, who had a gun on school property?_ _Maybe he saw the person and he was knocked unconscious...? _

Only the hanyou could answer her questions now...

A deep sigh passed through her lips. "Inuyasha...what can I do to help you? How can I w-wake...wake you up?"

"Your only choice is to use your own spiritual powers."

Kagome had momentarily forgotten that she had left her 'guardian' trailing after her. She glanced at him from the corners of her eyes and pondered what he had said once he had arrived at the clearing. He kneeled beside her without a word, peeling Inuyasha's eye lids back to observe the state of his eyes, and for some reason, he placed both of his fingers against his temples.

It was now that Kagome noticed the apparent redness of only one side of the hanyou-turned-human's face...

"Yup, he's having a vision alright," the dark-haired man sighed after his 'routine check', now turning to her inquisitively. "Well, Kagome, you should get to it before he loses himself completely in his vision."

"Huh...? A vision? What are you talking about?" She asked, genuinely confused and about to punch this weirdo if he got too close for her tastes. "And how do you--"

"Ok, to make a long story short, someone, an immortal most likely, cornered Inuyasha and shot him with a...a 'spirit bullet', to put it nicely. The person's spiritual energy unlocked a part of him that was dormant, which is his innate ability to see visions of the past, present or future."

_I'm going to need a psychiatrist after this... Geez, this is what happens when I think life couldn't get any weirder...I will never complain about my boring life again._ "So what is it that you want me to do to...help him?"

"Place your fingers on his temples like so," Miroku demonstrated, placing his own fingers for her to copy, "and concentrate your energy into your fingertips. All you need is to jolt him--the first visions are almost always impossible to come out of alone."

"Umm...suuure..."

Kagome did as she was told to the best of her ability, though she didn't exactly know what she was doing or how to _control_ her spiritual energy. It was like attempting to comb down a cow lick--practically impossible without some kind of gel! _Ah, the trials Souta's hair put me through..._

In the end, she just exhaled deeply and focused all of her attention on her fingertips. She suddenly felt a rush of...of energy acting as cold liquid running through her veins, and her fingers tingled as they did a month before when she nearly purified her fiancé...she was actually doing it!

_Wow..._ She watched her fingertips glow a soft pink, and gently pressed them against Inuyasha's temples. Her energy seemed to shock him or something akin to it; his eyes instantly flew open as he gasped for air. _It's like I revived him from the dead. _

But no matter, her fiancé was awake! Yay! She didn't need to spend money purchasing his pre-ordered his casket! Ahem...what? She had ordered it a month ago during her first meeting with her fiancé's freakish twin cousins...

"Nice to see that you're alive and well, my best friend!"

And then Miroku had to ruin her excitement with his statement...

**

* * *

**

**POW! **

Rin fell to the ground with a loud thud, hissing as she placed a hand over her protesting jaw. She couldn't believe what just happened...she had forgotten how painful a punch was... _I'm sure I've never been punched in the face before, too..._ It was ironic with all her past beatings at her old orphanage. Oh, and better yet, Sesshoumaru had yet to come and intervene between her and Kagura. _He's a great future husband, that's for sure. _

"Kagura, I'm going to **kill** you, dammit!" Meimori was literally freaking out over by his post, but he was not about to get involved with a pissed off wind sorceress just yet. _Fuck! I can already hear Kizurei saying 'I told you so' over and over again... But besides that, she just hit my woman! _

But the wind sorceress ignored all else and glowered at the irritating human beneath her feet. She moved her black booted foot to harshly grind into her abdomen, flipping Rin onto her back, and her seething ruby eyes pierced her cinnamon ones. Kagura even went so far as to mercilessly crush the delicate yellow rose that had been in her hair like she would trample on a cigarette, smirking as it elicited a protesting gasp from Rin.

As it turned out...Sesshoumaru wasn't the only sadist in the immortal realm...

"Little girl, you're in for one helluva beating--starting _now_."

Rin briefly closed her eyes, trying desperately to ignore the lingering ache that had settled in her ribs, but when she opened them again, she caught the deadly gleam of a silver metal in Kagura's clawed hand. _A weird looking, hi-tech fan...? What is she go--CRAAAP!!! _

She rolled onto her side before the demoness drove the metal fan into her throat, and swiftly took the chance to stand up, wincing as she did so. Phew, that had been too close for comfort!

"Great, now I got a maniac whore trying to kill me and I don't even have a weapon! What next?!" The teen noticed a second too late that Kagura had moved in for another shot, and she now found herself once again on her back with her cheek permanently bruised.

Damn that bitch's demon speed!

_How am I supposed to survive this fight?! _Rin kept dodging and jumping and running and doing everything else possible to keep from getting hit with that sharp-edged fan, but she couldn't keep it up forever!_ If I was actually _able_ to stand a chance against an immortal, then maybe I'd be fighting back right now, but I don't! _

**BOOM!**

"Sesshoumaru!" Rin searched for her fiancé among the cloud of debris that had enveloped the area in which he had stood, momentarily distracted from her own fight. _This isn't how I planned my first high school dance to turn out! _

"Pay attention, little girl!"

**Pow!** The sharp blow to her abdomen knocked the breath out of the teen, shocking her enough so that Kagura was able to punt-kick her five feet away without any resistance. She could hardly breathe much less stand back up--usually when she was getting beaten, she just endured it!

_Obviously_ she knew crap about fighting!

"Hmph, this is too easy. It truly is apparent that you have yet to awaken. So sorry to have to finish you off before your special 'friend' can give you his gift." Kagura raised her left hand--her free hand--leveled to her shoulder.

Rin watched through tunnel vision as the appendage glowed a burgundy red. "S-Shit..."

"Say hello to hell for me a second time, misfit."

She raised her palm and then...

**BA-ANG BOOOM!!! BOOOOOM!!! **

It all happened to fast for a half unconscious Rin to comprehend. One moment she was on the ground waiting for death like a true pathetic fool, and then the next thing she knew, she was tucked safely in the arms of a shimmering figure...an angel of sorts... Had she died so quickly? His exotic golden eyes stared into hers as they floated in a blanket of warmth...

_Angels are very sexy... _A lopsided grin crossed paths with her face.

Once she was able to function properly again, Rin finally realized that she hadn't heard _one_ explosion of potent energy as she should've, but she had heard _two_--as in, someone had blocked the attack and overpowered Kagura's blast. Moreover, she was still _alive_. Yet...who was strong enough to counterattack Ka-whor-a?

Her eyes focused clearly on the face of the figure holding her. _Oh, it's Sesshoumaru! Where did he come from all of a sudden? _

"Damn you, Sesshoumaru! Are you a fucking coward or what?! Come fight me like a real prince should! Prove to me that you can lead better than I can!" Meimori was vehemently shouting profanities at his 'beloved' cousin, who Rin now noticed had erected a barrier around them to dissolve the multiple attacks the raving dog demon shot at them.

_Nice thinking... _

"Rin, you must fight Kagura whether you approve or not." He seemed to be contemplating something for he abruptly paused for a long while, allowing his fiancée enough time to gather her remaining wits.

That punt kick practically killed most of her brain cells...

"I don't have much of a choice, now do I?"

She straightened her back and wrapped her arms around his neck--he was strong, but she was still terrified of extreme heights, and they were currently at least a _hundred_ feet off the ground. _No wonder Meimori's the only one I hear; he actually flew up to yell at us. I guess Ka-whor-a doesn't have wings. _

"If you continue battling Kagura as you are, you'll never win--better yet, you will die." She knew that much already from her recent experience. "As your future husband, it is my duty to ensure your safe--argh!"

"Sesshoumaru!"

Rin searched for the cause of her fiancé's current pain, and she noticed that Meimori was now slashing at his shimmering sky blue barrier with a peculiar emerald-bladed broad sword. Each time the barrier was touched by the glowing weapon, its liquid appearance rippled unsettlingly.

Apparently, the strain of keeping up the barrier with Meimori's powerful sword was taking a toll on him.

"Just put us down and I'll--"

"Listen to me!" He concentrated on disregarding his cousin all together and tightened his grip on his fiancée. "I have to ensure your safety, but I cannot do so when my anathema of a cousin is murder-intent--grrr-argh!"

Rin was more worried for _his_ life than hers at the moment--she couldn't even _fathom_ the amount of pain he was in! "W-What do you have in mind, then?"

"If you wish to fight Kagura and succeed, you will need my energy to do so. The only way I can help you is by performing a Shurikan."

_A what? _Thankfully, he began to explain. "It is when an immortal bestows a mortal with his gift--his own _life_ energy. My power will strengthen you, but I do not know the full extent of what else might happen. There is a catch, however."

_This gift thingy sounds exactly what Ka-whor-a was yakking about earlier..._ "There's a catch to almost everything."

"Yes, but not so extreme that you would have to remain bonded to me for life."

"For the sake of all that's high and fucking mighty, can you **please** drop this damn shit-ass barrier and actually **fight** me?!?!" If Sesshoumaru was doing what Meimori thought he was doing...then...dammit! "CAN YOU EVEN **HEAR **ME THROUGH THIS SHIT?!?!"

"Damn him to hell!" He growled, but braced himself as Meimori's attempts tripled and faced her with a stern yet patient look. "Rin, you have to make a choice right now--either consent to a Shurikan and be bonded to me for the rest of your life, or challenge luck and attempt to survive a brutal fight against Kagura."

She stared at him blankly, genuinely at loss for what to do. Sesshoumaru wasn't joking, or seem as if he preferred to explode than have endless ties with a weak human like her.

But...he merely wanted to marry her for his kingdom...was he willing to sacrifice his future in order to protect her? _Why is he doing this for me? Can't he just transport me out of this place? Geez, I just _had _to come along, didn't I?_

**"SESSHOU-FUCKING-MARU!!!" **

"Hurry! I can't hold this barrier for much longer!"

"Fine! Just do the Chumiken thing and we'll talk later!"

_And hopefully I won't regret it..._

**

* * *

**

_Best friend?! He must be kidding!_ Kagome openly gaped at the grinning pervert beside her, wondering if he was speaking the truth or merely using a figure of speech. _Don't tell me Inuyasha knows him! _

"Miroku? Damn, I never thought I'd see you again after Sango kicked your ass for groping her." Hmph, his statement surely proved Kagome wrong. He then sat up with a wince, but shrugged off his fiancée's help. "What the hell are you doing here?"

"Coming to your rescue as a faithful friend like me should do," Miroku suavely replied, relieved that the hanyou-turned-human was not physically harmed. _If he had been...well, I'd have to buy a groin guard again... _"Inuyasha, before we start talking about old times, I need to know if a miko did this to you."

He blinked dumbly. "...huh?"

"You mean you passed out for who knows how long and you remember nothing?!" Kagome couldn't believe this! Here she was waiting for her questions to be answered and her fiancé was as useless as a twig!

And she wanted to know why he knew the pervert!

"Keh! It's not my fault! I'm kinda disoriented right now--one moment this bitch whacks me with her fucking gun and then the next you two idiots are all up on my face!"

"She did what?! No wonder your cheek is all red!" The miko inspected the bruised side of his face, lowly whistling at how notable it was even in the dark. She also ignored the protests--and struggling--of her fiancé as she tentatively touched his cheek. "This woman must've been really strong..."

Miroku only sighed. "Was she tall, dark-haired, brown-eyed, had two silver guns, and overall dressed like a vampire hunter? Oh, and did she have a red ninja star tattoo on her wrist?"

"I don't know about the tattoo, but yeah...pretty much."

"Great...just great! So not only are we up against Meimori and Kagura, but we have to deal with Kikyou and the Gunslingers! This is what Sango and I wanted to prevent!"

"Uh huh, that was her name: Kikyou." Inuyasha cocked his head as he usually did when he was confused. He had heard mention of the Gunslingers before in the immortal realm, but what they were eluded him. "What does Kinky-hoe have to do with me? And Sango's here, too?"

Miroku sighed and glided a hand over his haggard face. He was tired of his mission and deeply desired a comfy bed to sleep on for hours and hours. "Kinky-hoe--I mean _Kikyou_ has _everything_ to do with you and Kagome--heck, even Sesshoumaru and Rin, my friend. What exactly? I'll save for later. And yes, Sango's here--she's looking for the other two."

"Why? Did something happen?" Inuyasha's violet eyes darkened a shade, suspicious of the look his best friend shared with his fiancée. "If something's going on--"

"I couldn't find them, but I know where they went, along with Meimori and Kagura."

Inuyasha and Kagome glanced at the entrance of the clearing to see Sango walking towards them at a slow, defeated pace. Her words echoed across the violet-eyed human's mind; Sesshoumaru and Rin...along with Meimori and Kagura...must have been in the immortal realm--no doubt about it.

But...dammit, they were in a place in which killing an immortal was not prohibited!

_Oh no...Sesshoumaru left knowing that he'd be walking into a killing field...but he took Rin along with him? Crap! She's in a killing field, too! _

Human emotions he had scarcely ever felt before instantly flooded him--worry for Rin, perhaps even for his half-brother, anger directed at his infuriating cousin, and a bunch of other sentiments that bombarded him all the same.

It was nearly impossible to control them!

_How long ago did they leave? There's a huge time difference between the realms...gods, they might already be dead..._

Concern and dread clogged his throat, and he was barely aware of Kagome shaking his shoulders as she mumbled something incoherent. Was she even mumbling, or was she shouting at him? Miroku and Sango were in the background staring at him with solemn eyes--it was as if they didn't need to fret like his fiancée because they knew what was happening to him.

It was all lost on him, however; it was becoming difficult to focus on one object for more than a few seconds.

Soon enough, he became vaguely aware of a sharp pain imbedded deep within his cranium. It threatened to split his head open in order to achieve freedom, and he gritted his teeth, hissing when the pain worsened. The world was flashing right before his eyes... Wait...he was seeing two different sceneries at once; one view of the dark forest near Imei Academy and one of...

....the Valley of Sephiroh in the immortal realm...

No longer hearing or seeing his friends in the mortal realm, Inuyasha immersed himself with this new, vivid image of the Deathland complete with crimson skies, black grounds, and...lava? What the hell was he seeing?! He felt as though he was unconsciously descrying an area!

_A river of lava...no, it's a fucking lava cataract! _And he could distinguish two figures descending into the smoldering pit, one with long silver hair and the other...wearing some kind of black outfit. _Shit, they're going to--! _

It was too late; the lake of burning, thick liquid engulfed them, and neither remerged.

He awoke from his trance with a gasp, strangely seeing a relieved Kagome in front of him rather than an image of Deathland. The hanyou-turned-human struggled to catch his bearings, striving to understand what had just happened to him. Recalling the vision he had of the two figures falling into the pit of magma, he tried to discern its meaning and why he would have witnessed such a tragic end.

It wasn't until a few shock-filled seconds passed that Inuyasha recognized the silver-haired figure as his brother...and the other as Rin...

...and now he could fathom why that moment in time had appeared before his eyes.

_Sesshoumaru and Rin are going to die...and I have to prevent it! _

**

* * *

**

"Well, well, well; look who fell from the sky! It's the preaching misfit! What, have you magically turned into an angel now?"

Rin locked her jaw to refrain from letting her mouth run again--she didn't need to be pounded to the ground before she received her energy boost from Sesshoumaru. Hmm, thinking back to the demon god, she glanced at him out of the corner of her eyes as he viciously dueled against Meimori, both of them hundreds of feet above the ground.

He had informed her that she would know when he began the Chumiken or whatever, but it had been five minutes already and she felt no physical difference!

_Ok, Rin, you can survive until he actually has time to evade Meimori...right? _She mentally sighed, now directing her gaze at the smirking demoness in front of her. _She looks like she's gonna kill me..._ That was true, however...

"Aw, the pretty little princess doesn't want to talk to me--how cute. Why don't you just start running? You human women are so feeble; you can't even defend yourselves. Why else do you think Sesshoumaru, a king-to-be, prefers demonesses? In a situation like this, he wouldn't have to worry about my life--he could concentrate on his own fight all the better."

The younger woman narrowed her eyes, contending with her own pride not to let Kagura's words diminish her self-esteem. She knew that the ruthless demoness merely wanted to rile her--that wasn't happening! Not this time!

However...her words did ring true. _If I hadn't come along, Sesshoumaru wouldn't even have to perform a Chumiken or stop in the middle of his fight to help me. Geez, if anything happens to him, it'd be my fault!_

No! She wasn't going to think about that! Rin might not have the power of an immortal, or the strength of a demon, but she had willpower and motivation on her side! She wasn't going to let anyone tell her that she was weak, not until they proved it by killing her!

_Eh, Ka-whor-a could arrange my death, actually..._ So much for invigorating thoughts...

"I'm tired of this," Kagura yawned, bored of standing around all day waiting for the stick-figure human girl to react to her goading. "So, do you have any preferences on the way I should kill you? I'm leaning towards a more bloody and violent death...what do you think?"

"I think you should shove your fan up your ass and shut up, already!" Rin couldn't help it--she swore it slipped!

Yet, it was the only incentive that a smirking Kagura needed to lash out with another load of attacks. Rin's eyes widened as she cursed her stupidity, practically running backwards as she tried her best to side-step punches and kicks--at some point, she drew the plastic dagger from her yellow obi as her..._defense_...

It was slapped out of her hand, though...

Truthfully, this wasn't working at all! She couldn't wait much longer for Sesshoumaru's Chumiken, dang it! Especially when she suddenly tripped over a rock and was sent flailing to the ground...

_I'm a failure! I suck at fighting! I can't even properly defend myself! _Rin scrambled from her spot on the ground before Kagura could whip out her fan again and slit her throat with it. She began sprinting away from her relentless pursuer, hoping to stall for her fiancé, who had yet to rid himself of Meimori.

There was no way she could actually turn around and throw punches at a deadly sorceress who probably trained as an assassin since the day she started walking. Her movements were too swift and stealthy to interpret correctly--the teen credited her life to her amazing reflexes alone!

_Well, at least she's only using hand-to-hand combat now--I'd be dead if she shot an energy blast at me or actually used that fan of hers._

"This _-pant-_ is the _-gasp-_ most unfair _-pant pant-_ advantage **ever!!" **Who ever said that a human could win a fight against an immortal demon?!

Because she was too busy figuring out a way to survive this battle from hell, Rin didn't realize that she had reached a thick wall of volcanic rock until she virtually slammed into it. She rubbed her pounding head and stared dumbly up at her new obstacle--it seriously appeared out of nowhere!

"Argh! Stupid wall! Can't you see I have to get away from Ka-whor-a before I'm killed?!" She still needed to live in order to attain revenge on Sesshoumaru's sex god counterpart!

"Hmm, interesting. It seems the odds are against you today."

The teen cringed and slowly turned around to face the ever so cocky demoness, occupying her mind by letting her eyes follow the fall and rise of Kagura's metal-edged fan against her palm. Through her peripheral vision, she noticed that escape was futile; even if she tried something so foolish such as sidestepping her opponent, she wouldn't get very far.

_Sessh...do it now..._ She clenched her eyes shut and started to count down ten seconds. _If he doesn't do it in ten seconds, then I'm surrendering to my fate, as dumb as it sounds. _

"Ten...nine...eight..."

Kagura stared at Rin with confusion clearly etched in her face. _What is this human thinking? Has she gone insane?_ It really wasn't her motto to kill mentally ill people, but she could make an exception with the human girl... _I'll let her count to her death._

It made it all the more fun for her.

Then teen crossed her fingers behind her back, counting as slowly as possible if only to stall. _Please, I'm begging you! I know I'm weak and pitiful, but hear me out, Sessh! Right now, I need you!_

"...seven...six...five..."

_I'll owe my life to you forever, no matter what. My life...is in your hands. _

"...four...three..."

Kagura crossed her arms, waiting rather patiently for the human to finish her inane countdown. "You're time is almost up, misfit..."

"...t-two..." _Now...do it now! _

"One." The blood-lusting demoness finished the count for her hunted prey and narrowed her ruby eyes into deadly slits, loving the way Rin's lips quivered. The little girl's prayers hadn't been answered--how touching. "Well, now that you're done wasting my--"

Kagura abruptly stopped in the middle of her sentence and bore her eyes at the ground, both surprised and furious at the same time. Rin wondered what was so special about the hard, rocky floor to cause such a reaction--perhaps the wall finally decided to work in her favor and melt into a puddle of dirt!

Overcome by her curiosity again--yes, it was going to lead to her death one day...maybe today--she glanced down and immediately gasped.

A strange cerulean blue symbol that reminded Rin of three lightening bolts crossing each other at a mid point sparkled on the ground beneath her feet, enclosed in a ring of bright silver light that heightened to swirl around her ankles. She furrowed her brows; she was at loss for what to say or even think.

Though, apparently, her opponent did, for she began to heatedly curse all human-loving immortals and raised her arm, intent on bringing her life to an end before another moment passed.

The teen, at this point, only surrendered and closed her eyes, wishing for a quick death instead of a painful..._bloody_ one.

One second...

And then another...

_Nothing happened..._ Rin slowly lifted her eye-lids and saw that the swirls of silver light were coiled around her to act as a barrier. Not even Kagura's sharp fan could make it through the blinding fortress barricading her from her prey.

Realization dawned on the human girl, and she raised her head to find her fiancé. _This must be it...the Shuriken._

Sure enough, there he was a few meters away, using his wings to float in air as he chanted multiple words she couldn't understand. He was also protected by the silver ring of light--she figured it acted as a bridge between their 'energy transfer'.

She continued to watch him, enticed by the tendrils of pure energy gathering around him like a maelstrom in a turbulent sea.

But...where in the world was Meimori?

"Duu ware da, suum eta ka. Duu ware da, suum eta ka. Duu ware da, suum eta ka..."

The dog demon did not miss one beat in his chant, not even to inhale a gulp of air; it was as if he was in a trance-like state. Since he was so consumed in his work, Rin wondered if anything could catch his attention...

Great! She just _had_ to jinx it because Meimori suddenly appeared with his sword above his head, ready to bring it down on the damn barrier in his way.

"Oh no...not that again!" Rin remembered what happened the last time Meimori intervened--Sesshoumaru's body was put under the same strain as his barrier! "Please be careful, Sessh!"

All she had to do was recall the reason why he was performing a Shuriken in the first place to feel as though a knife twisted in her gut...

Thankfully, the attack hardly bothered Sesshoumaru because he continued to chant as though nothing had occurred. His clawed hands then began to rapidly move along with his incantation, seeming to create elaborate patterns which Rin's poor eye sight hardly followed.

The immortal's maelstrom of power disabling Meimori's fierce attacks from progressing any further soon increased in magnitude and strength. It was like a savage storm devastating a countryside, both frightening and awing onlookers.

"Duu ware da, suum eta ka. Duu ware da, suum eta ka..." Sesshoumaru suddenly ceased his repetitive chant. With his eyes covered in a sheet of blue light as earlier, he condensed the maelstrom into a diminutive sphere no bigger than a head and let it spin over the palm of his right hand. "Mazueii grishinii instaka che!"

**"NOOO!!!"** Meimori could do nothing more than howl as his cousin launched the ball towards a severely confused Rin, who gazed at the oncoming orb with dread filling her heart.

A blinding flash then settled over the entire area of the Valley of Sephiroh while three reverberating pulses rumbled the land.

Once the flash waned...a tense silence ensued.

Rin rubbed her eyes while shaking her head. "All these flashes are going to make me go permanently blind! Oh yeah, that's exactly what I need when I'm fighting Ka-whor-a!"

"Rin."

The teen blinked and looked up to see her fiancé standing right in front of her--whoah, she hadn't even heard him come up to her! Yet, she pushed back any thoughts centering on her state of mind and focused on his. "How are you holding up? The whole 'ritual' seemed to be..._draining_, obviously."

"I am fine," the dog demon briskly replied.

_Okay... _His voice sounded aloof like always, but his eyes for once revealed his exhaustion. How strange--Sesshoumaru was actually physically tired, yet for a good reason. _He just gave me half of his life energy... Heh, I'm supposedly smart, though I don't know what it really means. _

"Sooo...now what? Am I going to start blasting people like you do?" _That'd be totally awesome! _Truthfully, she hardly felt a physical or even a mental difference. Well, she _did_ feel energized...

His lips faintly curved upwards. "I don't know what will happen--you have to wait and see. However, you need a weapon." He outstretched his arm, and out of thin air, a short pole the length of dagger abruptly materialized into his hand.

Rin gaped in shock--where had _that_ come from?! The short pole was dark silver with grooves acting as a grip and otherwise composed of smooth metal. For some reason, when he handed the 'weapon' to her, it fit her fingers perfectly, as though it had been _made_ for her.

_Weird... _

"Am I really supposed to fight with this?" She flicked her wrist and twirled the thin pole as she would a baton. A grin formed on Rin's face while she pretended to be a real ninja, waving the pole in a large arc over her head. "Ha! Look at my super ninja powers, Ka-whor--AAHH! What did I do?!"

After she had brandished the pole in an arc above her head, its two ends suddenly elongated to actually resemble a seven-foot spear. She stared up at the weapon in amazement--the spearhead was not a true blade, but a finely sharpened diamond that gleamed beautifully and undermined its deadliness.

And to add to its peculiarity, the spearhead was also the shape of a crescent moon, oddly reminding her of the one on her fiancé's forehead.

"This is called Kimera--a yari-like weapon that has remained an artifact on display in my palace's weaponry until now. No one has been able to transform it other than you."

If she wasn't mistaken, Rin could swear she heard a hint of pride in his voice, as if he had known all along that _she_ would be the one to uncover the mystery of the weapon.

"Coool..." Rin grinned and picked Kimera up with her two hands, noting how light the weapon seemed in her hands despite its length and metal material. "How in the world were you able to materialize it here?"

"It's another ability of demon gods--as long as I can picture where an object is, I can teleport it to myself. Though, in order for it to work, the object must be exactly where I imagine." Sesshoumaru then turned his head slightly to his right, his eyes trained upon the crimson horizon, and he walked around Rin until he was standing behind her.

She blinked in confusion, but soon heard some kind of disturbance in the land, a rumble of sorts. It was coming from ahead of her, though as she looked, she was not able to see anything out of the ordinary--only mountains among mountains. _So what is he...?_

"This will be your first test--it'll prove whether or not the Shuriken worked."

"I don't get it! I don't...see..." Rin's eyes widened as large as saucers when she finally caught sight of what appeared to be a crimson vortex hurtling towards them, though its source was virtually unknown to her. "You expect me to...?"

"The Kimera is an illusion spear--it's special for two things: one, it can deflect demonic power, and two, the diamond spearhead is able to absorb demonic power, but to a certain limitation." Sesshoumaru glanced at the vortex before he smirked rather cruelly. "Your task is to absorb Kagura's Dance of the Dragon."

"By myself?!" She couldn't believe what she was hearing! "What makes you think I know how to use this Kimera thing?!"

"Demonic weapons are different than mortal-made ones. They act as one with their wielders--no one is born knowing how to use a demon sword or spear. The knowledge comes to you when you least expect it."

He knew this from experience of course; he carried two demonic swords with him, one of which he was using now: Tokijin.

Rin stared at her fiancé, noting how amused he seemed by the whole situation. It hardly bothered him that a freakin' tornado was swiftly coming at them! Hell, by the way he was standing behind her, he was basically telling her to protect both of them without his help!

However...she knew he wouldn't let her handle this attack if he didn't think she was ready. Sesshoumaru was very intelligent--she was able to notice it through his grades and how easily he adapted to the mortal world.

She trusted his judgment...no matter how far-fetched the idea seemed.

The teen gulped and faced the oncoming whirlwind that destroyed everything in its path from mountain peaks to cliffs to even disrupting the flow of lava in the river below. Her fingers firmly wrapped around the spear's grip and she attempted to clear her mind, ignoring the immortal behind her and even the realm she was in.

Exhaling deeply, Rin concentrated solely on the so called 'Dance of the Dragon' and her new spear.

_I can do this...if Sessh thinks I can do this, then I will!_ Still, the knowledge of how to use her weapon wasn't coming to her but the damn tornado was! Yet, was she just going to stand there whining and let it shred her to pieces? _No!_

An idea formed in her head and her body moved in response. Her fingers began twirling the spear in a circular motion in front of her. Its thin pole wove between her slender digits, and she oddly felt like she was a professional flag twirler since it was spinning so fast--all that remained was a perfect circle from its afterimage.

It surprised her immensely when the diamond spearhead began to glow a bright yellow in response to the foul demonic energy it was sensing. Suddenly, the entire spear started to spin on its own without the aid of her fingers.

Rin, however, kept her arms outstretched with her hands facing the rapidly moving weapon, figuring that when she put her arms down, the spear would come to an abrupt halt. She could feel tendrils of hidden youki coming from the spearhead, but thought little of it.

Her first priority was proving to Sesshoumaru that she was able to fight without him having to worry about her safety. If he even took the time to care for her wellbeing, then it was wrong of her to take his rare magnanimity for granted.

The vortex of crimson wind drew everything into its black hole--the only reason why she was still on the ground was because she had dug the heel of her boots into the dark earth. Sesshoumaru didn't seem to mind the fact that his long silver tresses battled against him to be free like the wind...

...but he did curse himself for not having a hair tie...

_This is it..._ The cinnamon-eyed teen narrowed her eyes and braced herself for what was to come.

She never glanced away from the huge obstacle placed before her, and she never would until it completely disappeared. With her jaw clenched and shoulders locked, Rin braced herself against the force of the untamed whirlwind, using all of her might to push forward and stop the attack from reaching her and Sesshoumaru.

Amazing! Utterly amazing! The tornado was apparently being 'absorbed' by the Kimera, as though it was hauled into a portal leading to oblivion!

The strain of keeping the weapon steady in front of her was taking a toll on Rin's strength, yet she didn't relent; she only stared in awe as the whirlwind shrunk and shrunk until it became nothing but a crimson glow in her Kimera's diamond spearhead.

"I...I did it..." She gasped once the task was over, and she breathed a sigh of relief. "Oh my gods, I did it! Did you see that, Sesshoumaru?" Rin turned around and laughed merrily. "I protected myself for once!"

"Well done. Part of being able to use the Kimera involves having some kind of superhuman energy, so the Shurikan did, in fact, work. However, keep in mind that you can only absorb as much demonic power as your body can handle. One more absorption at this moment would probably drain you enough to kill you."

Rin smiled languidly. "Don't worry; I won't be trying that again any time soon."

"Hn." Even if he didn't exactly say it, she could tell that he was proud of her, and it was all she needed to continue her battle.

However...Sesshoumaru suddenly looked past Rin and growled. He wasted no time to sidestep her, and before she could realize what happened, he deflected a raven blue energy disk using only his arm.

When her fiancé was able to accomplish such a move without sustaining an injury, her ego went away on vacation.

"You haven't lost your touch, cousin. Now that your bitch is taken care of, let's begin our real fight." Meimori had a knack for appearing out of thin air--Rin wondered if he had the ability to become invisible or teleport himself across short distances.

And she was no one's bitch! _At least not yet..._ It was no use blushing at the moment.

Sesshoumaru drew his long sword in response. "Yes, let's begin."

_Now they fly away, leaving poor old Rin alone on a mountain with no clue what to do next. Hmph, they must've taken classes together on how to treat women. _

"You fucking piece of shit!"

_Oh, let's not forget that they both left me with a demented demoness with whoring issues_. Ah, and apparently, not only was she a bitch, but also a piece of shit. _What a really nice thing to say about someone. _

Kagura was downright pissed! This was _not_ supposed to happen, god-fucking-dammit! Sesshoumaru was _not_ supposed to perform a Shurikan for a stupid human, and that same stupid human was **not** supposed to be given the Kimera!

What was _wrong_ with immortals nowadays?! She couldn't fathom why ingrate mortals would warrant any type of 'gift' from their superiors!

"A mortal should act like one," the demon sorceress hissed as she spread her fan, "and by the end of our fight, you'll be on your knees begging me, Kagura the Wind, for complete mercy!"

Rin wasted no time to block her opponent's attack, and was simultaneously forced into defensive mode. Kagura was lashing at her with swipe after swipe--her ruby eyes were frenzied with fury while her fangs were bared in a deadly snarl. It was now that the human teen noticed her increased stamina; for someone who was bearing her own against a raving demoness, she hardly felt tired or drained.

The Shurikan really worked!

"I'm tired of you! I want you dead! Dance of Blades!"

The human teen eeped and swiped downward with her spear, successfully deflecting each of the five blades of wind. She jumped when Kagura made a move to technically cut off her ankles, and she did a back flip to avoid being slashed in half.

All the while, Rin hardly noticed that she was being driven towards the edge of a cliff...

And the demoness wasn't even done yet... "Dance of the Dragon!"

Instantly, three more snake-like wind vortexes spiraled around Rin, and she rapped her brain for someway to escape being ripped into tiny little pieces. The vortexes were closing in on her rapidly, so she did the only thing she could think of; she spun the Kimera above her head as though she were swinging rope.

Soon enough, the tornadoes blocked her from sight.

Kagura smirked at her work of art and waited patiently for her attack to clear up. There was no possible way the human could've survived against her Dance of the Dragon--she was surely dead. Yet, when the vortexes vanished, her crimson eyes widened at the trash it left behind--that goddamn mortal girl was still alive!

Her stupid spear had protected her!

"Grr!!! You're INSUFFER--ah!"

Unlike Ka-whor-a, Rin didn't complain and therefore leave herself open for attack. She was finally able to convert to offensive mode, and managed to disarm the demoness. With a quick swing of her spear, she even knocked her off her feet. At long last, she had her in a position where she was incapable of fighting back.

"Hmph, now look who's on her knees. Already submitting to a mortal, Ka-whor-a?" Rin taunted, if only to get back at the bitch for demeaning her.

"Heh, I'd never lower myself to your level, misfit." Kagura smirked. "This isn't over yet."

"Oh yeah? Well I think it is!" She raised the Kimera high above her head with the intent of rendering Kagura unconscious; however, a distant sound--an earthquake--interrupted her.

_It's like an avalanche..._ Her eyebrows furrowed--there wasn't any snow to cause an avalanche, so then what...? Soon enough, her answer came when the ground beneath her shook hazardously, causing her to fall backwards.

And before she should move a muscle, a bright purple flash made the entire cliff crack and tumble towards the flowing river of lava.

"Shit!" Rin cursed since she was unable to stop her quick descent. _And why the hell am I surrounded by so many flashes all of a sudden?! It's annoying! _

But the human then noticed how steep the mountain was and took the initiative--she rearranged her body so that her feet touched the mountain side, and miraculously, they remained planted. Now it was as if she was roller skating backwards on a steep mountain then falling into a pit of lava!

And then Kagura came into sight...

...though, this time, she wasn't alone.

* * *

**A/N: SHORTENED!**


	19. Duel in Deathland: Part Three

**A/N: HI!**

* * *

**Oh My Gods! 19**

* * *

"Who in the world is that?!" _Don't tell me there are more people I have to fight!_

Her cinnamon eyes focused on the new addition to her battle, and she noted her dark hair and burgundy outfit. _She looks remarkably like Kagome, but it isn't her. Strange. _

The two women had apparently copied her idea and were rapidly 'skating' towards her, and one of them had two silver guns in hand--crap! _**Bang! Bang!**_ Rin didn't remember bullets ever being purple, or even having a purple glow to them, but it hardly mattered when she was being shot at!

Spinning her spear in a circle had its uses--it deflected attacks and kept her safe. But there was only so much she could bear!

And Kagura wasn't helping when she decided to tap into her demon strength and run up to Rin while she was busy defending herself against an onslaught of purple bullets. The demoness smiled maliciously and rammed into her, but Rin dug her spear into the mountain side and propelled her body forward, kicking Kagura out of balance.

Good thing she had taken some gymnastic classes!

The other woman skated around the human girl swinging her body in circles and jumped off solid rock, twisting her body in mid air while she aimed at her enemy. She created a spiral of glowing spirit bullets that seemed to enclose around Rin, and before she could do anything to retort, her base detached from the mountain and she found herself once again falling towards rushing lava.

Fortunately, she was able to climb on a huge chunk of volcanic rock prior to crashing in to the heated river. Somehow, her skin didn't burn and the heat barely bothered her as her proximity to lava should've done--she knew it had to do with Sesshoumaru's energy.

"Alright, where are you two whores...?" Rin glanced around the narrow river bordered by two towering mountains, but she didn't see Kagura or the new comer--who looked like a vampire hunter--anywhere. She tightened her grip on Kimera.

"Up here, little girl!"

"W-Wha--umph!"

The human teen impacted the solid rock with a loud thud, momentarily groaning at a newfound ache in her ribs. Her spear was thrown away from her and Kagura hauled her to her feet, punching her again for good measure. As she stumbled backwards, however, Rin collided with someone, and before she could turn around, she felt as though a blinding hot dagger had imbedded itself into her back.

She had heard the sound of a bullet being shot, but it wasn't an actual bullet--it was like an incinerating beam had passed through her!

Falling to her knees, Rin glanced up at the mysterious woman and coughed up blood. _Damn, I'm not externally wounded or anything but whatever she shot at me did internal damage._ She coughed again after being kicked onto her back.

"You're no different than Kagome; you're both pathetic. I've always hated the two of you," the woman spat in her callous tone of voice, pointing one of her silver guns at her throat. "You should die right here and now."

"Go for it, Kikyou--I can't wait until she's dead again."

_What does Ka-whor-a mean by again? I've never died before...right?_ Rin couldn't voice her thoughts; it was as if that bullet had paralyzed her or something! _But I'm not done fighting yet!_

Gathering what ever strength she had left in her, Rin swung her left leg to knock the Kikyou woman off her feet while her she once again kicked Kagura with both feet in the process of flipping herself up. She wasted no time to pick up Kimera and levelly glared at the two women already standing.

"Don't underestimate your opponent, ya bunch of idiots! I haven't finished kicking your asses yet!" Rin then darted forward and swung Kimera at Kikyou first, who caught the weapon between her guns before it sliced her, while she used her lower body to disarm Kagura.

She pulled Kikyou closer to her and punched her in the eye prior to crouching down, swiping her off her feet, and kicking her into mid air. The human teen then concentrated on the crimson glow in her Kimera's diamond spearhead, and in a sudden surge of energy, she shouted, "Dance of the Dragon!"

The crimson demonic energy was released in the form of a vortex, which consumed the 'vampire hunter' until she was out of sight.

"Grr, you wretched bitch! That's _my_ attack!" Kagura's hands glowed burgundy red and she blasted Rin hard enough to send her flying off the volcanic rock.

But before her life was ended and she fell into the river of lava, a silver and black figure hoisted her into his arms and flew to a safe cliff above the river. Once again, Rin owed her life to her fiancé.

"Thanks, Sessh. I was nearly a goner, but I'm actually holding up pretty well by myself! And against _two_ people!" Even if she had been an inch away from death, she was still pretty proud of her accomplishments! "It's not everyday I can fight like this! Woot!"

The dog demon merely shook his head. "Owe it all to the Shuriken."

"And it was performed by none other than Maebashi Sesshoumaru! Prince of the Western Lands and Demon God of...of...Demons!"

"I'm done playing, cousin. It's time for a _real_ winner to emerge."

Sesshoumaru and Rin turned their attention to Meimori, who like always, appeared at the most random time in front of them. He no longer seemed furious beyond belief--rather, he was the same arrogant bastard dreaming of his cousin's death.

The silver-haired dog demon glared at his cousin, but then smirked. "How can we kill each other, my dear cousin, when we are both immortal? We cannot simply die from battle wounds."

"Oh, that's right! So this fight was pointless?" Rin asked her fiancé, but did not receive a solid answer. He was still staring at Meimori, and when she heard the malicious dog demon chuckling, she also faced him.

_There's no reason to be cackling when you realized you can't kill the person you hate. _

"You haven't noticed yet--how entertaining..." He lifted his broad green sword so the couple could completely see it. "This sword is called Aotoki, given to me by my father as a passing of rank present. Sesshoumaru, Aotoki is a dimension blade."

His blood immediately ran cold. _It can't be...how can uncle trust Meimori of all people with such a dangerous weapon? _Of course, a dimension blade was the only sword that could kill an immortal...

Sesshoumaru was at a disadvantage since his sword wasn't so special. He wasn't able to kill his cousin...but his cousin was able to kill him, and gods knew Meimori wouldn't throw away a great opportunity.

But Rin still didn't know what was going on, or why her fiancé seemed to have turned into an ice statue. "So what if it's a dimension blade? What's so special about it?"

"It is very special, my fair lady, for such a weapon cuts through an invisible barrier of time around an immortal and renders him or her susceptible to death."

_Oh crap, he's gonna kill Sesshoumaru!_ "I won't let you hurt my fiancé!" _I need him to cook dinner at least one more time! _

"Rin, don't be so foolish!" Her fiancé admonished, brandishing his sword as he prepared to duel Meimori. _All I have to do is avoid being pierced by that blade._ Easy, right? "Well, what are you waiting for, cousin?"

Meimori grinned and charged at Sesshoumaru in an unimaginable speed, not allowing Rin to keep track of the battle. She stared helplessly back and forth as both demons viciously fought for dominance, clashing swords and snarling at each other. They were moving so fast she only saw their after images--one moment, they were to her left, and another split second later, they were actually above her!

She only hoped Sesshoumaru would be ok...

_I can't just stand here doing nothing! I don't know what happened to Ka-whor-a and Kinky-hoe, but I feel like an idiot just watching them fight! But...either way, I can't even keep up with them. Besides, they won't like it if I intervened, especially Sessh... _Rin sighed in frustration and gripped her weapon tighter.

She stared at the end opposite of the spearhead, absently looking at its bladed tail.

Bladed...

"That's it...if I throw the Kimera at him and impale Meimori, then it'll give Sessh enough time to get the upper hand!" Rin smiled at her genius mind; however, then came the problem of _when_ was the right time to throw the spear.

She raised her head and caught sight of the two demons with their swords interlocked; they were both growling at the other as they tried to slice their opponent in half. It was the perfect time to do what she was planning...

"Ok, Rin, you can't miss." She lifted her spear above her shoulder, aiming for the center of Meimori's armored back. "Hopefully I can actually throw this thing so far..."

Disregarding her doubts, the human teen twisted her upper body and finally swung her arm, launching the spear simultaneously. And what did she know, it reached its bull's-eye!

**"FUUUCK!" **

Sesshoumaru took the chance to behead his cousin before he counterattacked, and jumped a good distance away from the raving demon. Meimori's head rolled off his neck and landed a few feet away from his body, which landed on the ground with a thud. Rin cringed at the gruesome sight, but managed to wink at her fiancé when he smirked at her.

However...

"Eeek! His head is reconnecting to his body! Eww!" And true enough, some kind of magnetic pull allowed the lifeless body of the dog demon to attach itself back together in one piece. In under a minute, Meimori was whole once again.

"Did you truly expect him to die, Rin? He's a thorn in my side for a specific reason," Sesshoumaru growled, raising his sword in a ready position.

Meimori wiped the trail of blood dribbling down his chin and leaned heavily on his sword while his other hand pulled the spear protruding from his back. He glared murderously at his cousin and his bitch--the nerve of the wench to impale him!

Sure, he liked her, but not enough to let her get away with such impudence!

"Damn you, Sesshoumaru! You're fucking dead!"

It nearly happened at the speed of light. One moment, Rin was waiting for the furious dark-haired dog demon to attack. The next, she was pushed out of the way and harshly impacted the ground. Her ribs ached painfully--one or two of them must've been broken. But when she at long last looked up to see what had occurred...

...she gasped.

"N-No...Sesshoumaru!" She quickly stood and sprinted towards his kneeling form, where he pulled out Meimori's Aotoki from his chest, grunting in pain.

A small pool of his blood formed below him, staining his black battle wear, his silver hair...his lips were coated in blood, as well. He gripped the deep wound in his chest and shakily stood on two feet, shrugging off Rin's concern.

He had been impaled by a dimension blade...

...Sesshoumaru...could now die.

Rin's eyes watered at the thought of him dying because of her, and she angrily faced Meimori, glaring at him with a burning hatred she never thought she could possess. How dare he...how dare him! "You bastard! You conniving little bastard! Gods, you deserved to be ripped apart by wolves!"

"What? I was only returning the favor. It's not my fault he cares so much about his bitch to take the brunt of my attack." The dark-haired coughed, but his wounds were already beginning to heal. Sesshoumaru's, however... "If you want to blame someone, blame yourself."

"Shut the fuck up!"

"Seems like I pissed her off..." Meimori then focused on his cousin, who mirrored his act of leaning on his sword for support. Ah, the look of complete hatred flaring in his honey eyes was like eating candy for him! "Now it's time to finish you off, my dear cousin."

"I'm not going to let you hurt him!" Rin stood in front of her fiancé protectively, spreading her arms high and wide to act as a bodily shield.

"R-Rin, enough!" Sesshoumaru snarled, but apparently, she ignored him and continued to act like an idiot. He could feel the effects of his wound on his body, but dammit, he wasn't going to die like some pansy letting his fiancée do all the work!

"Oh well, I'll just have to kill you both. See you in hell one day!" And with one blast of his potent raven energy, the two were sent falling from the cliff and into a pit of lava.

Sesshoumaru did what he could and wrapped his arms around Rin, but he did not have the strength to summon his wings and they were not merely nearing a river of lava--no it was a _waterfall_. There was no solid rock to land on and trying to propel his body towards the mountainside was impossible at the rate they were falling in.

Though, he wasn't afraid. Not yet. He stared at the pit with determination lighting his eyes.

Someway, somehow, they were both going to survive.

"Valken!"

And there was his proof.

Inuyasha, who had abruptly transported into the realm, smirked at his work of art--the entire area was suddenly covered in a sheet of ice, as well as the pit of lava. He watched his brother land on his two feet with Rin still in his arms, but he noticed that his landing wasn't as graceful as always.

_Damn, maybe I am still too late._ Well, at least his brother hadn't been engulfed by lava...

"Inuyasha....I hope you know you're going to have to explain where we are, what you just did, and why you're half demon again right now..." The woman in his arms said in complete awe, staring at what used to be a smoldering land of death but was now a winter wonderland.

_Not to mention that we're currently floating in air..._

The hanyou kehed and finally landed on the icy ground, though his golden wings had yet to vanish. "One, we're in the immortal realm. Two, I used an ancient language that converts my energy to something akin to magic. Three, there's a different lunar cycle here, so it's not my human night anymore."

"Oooh..." Kagome merely blinked. "Thanks for explaining."

"Whatever, wench."

"Hey you two! Am I glad to see you!" Rin ran up to her friends and enveloped them in a bear hug, relieved to have people to aid in the current battle. "To make a long story short, Meimori wants to kill everyone, Kagura is a whore, and Kikyou came from Vampire Land!"

Kagome cocked her head in surprise. "Kikyou's here? Now I get to praise the woman who hit my fiancé with her gun."

"Fuck off, wench!"

The miko winked at Rin. "He's just a sore loser. She gave him a bruise on his cheek _and_ knocked him unconscious."

"Wow, Kinky-hoe _is_ a badass..."

"Yup."

"So, little brother, you were again bested by a human woman? I think it's a new trend." Sesshoumaru disregarded the fact that he had a serious injury, but he didn't look like he was in agony, in the first place. Injuries never stopped him from taunting his annoying brother...

"Shut the hell up! I was human! And if it wasn't for her, I wouldn't have come to save your sorry ass!" His brother raised a thin eyebrow in response, and he sighed. "I'll explain later. Now, where the hell is Meimori?"

"Right over here. Geez, what is this, a family reunion?"

Everyone turned their gaze to their right, and sure enough, there was Meimori seeming as cocky as ever. His wounds were partially healed so he was able to stand without the support of his Aotoki. But he wasn't alone; Kagura and Kikyou appeared to either side of him, both wearing a smirk on their attractive faces.

"Oh great, the beyotches are back," Rin groaned. She didn't want to fight either one of them again--it was tiring!

"Watch your mouth, misfit!"

"Be quiet or I'll just have to kick your ass again!"

"What's this about ass kicking? I like kicking asses..."

Great, another newcomer! A blue-eyed human man with his dark hair tied into a long braid walked up from behind Meimori, brandishing his giant pike on his shoulder. He also appeared to be the embodiment of young and reckless, not unlike Meimori, and smirked at Inuyasha in particular. "How about I just start kicking half-breed ass, huh?"

"Who the fuck are you?!" Inuyasha growled, unsheathing his own sword, the Tetsusaiga. Kagome, meanwhile, was locked in a battle of wills with Kikyou; for some reason, that woman, a fellow miko, irked her beyond belief.

"The name's Bankotsu. I'm the leader of the Band of Seven--the Gunslingers." The purple star on his forehead marked him as such, but Inuyasha still didn't know what the hell the Gunslingers had to do with anything. He couldn't understand what their purpose was!

"Ban-Ban! Quick--introduce me to Inuyasha! Introduce me now!" What?! Someone else?! Hell, it was five against four!

The dark-haired human rolled his cerulean blue eyes and nodded towards a figure shrouded by a white mist caused by the chilling ice covering the valley. "Inuyasha, other people, I am more than 'happy' to introduce you to yet another member of the Gunslingers, the infamous Jakotsu. Yay."

"You're no fun, Ban-Ban!"

"Is he a cross dresser? Because I swear that's a kimono for women..." Kagome stared at the odd man who suddenly revealed himself...actually, she _hoped_ it was a man.

He was wearing a rather feminine kimono tied at his waist to give him mobility, and on his back, he carried a curve-bladed sword. Damn, he was there to fight...

The dark-haired man with charcoal black eyes ignored the miko's statement and stared starry-eyed at the highly disturbed hanyou across from him. "He's cuter than I initially remember! Oh, just look at his fuzzy ears!" He paused to lick his lips. "I want them...I want them now..."

"You officially attract the weird ones, little brother..." Sesshoumaru mumbled, inwardly relieved that Jakotsu was more infatuated with the hanyou than him. He almost felt bad for his kin..._almost_...

"Keh! And you attract the psychotic ones, bastard! Just look at Rin and Kagura!" Even though the hanyou silently agreed with him when Jakotsu didn't stop winking at him...

"Ok, now that we're all here, why don't we go ahead and kill each other, hm?" Meimori, surprisingly, seemed annoyed at all the newcomers interfering with his fight.

First off, his stupid-ass younger cousin had to stop Sesshoumaru from fucking dying, and then these vexing Gunslingers came and stole his spotlight! Dammit--and when the hell had Kikyou shown up?! Grr, hopefully no one else came to interrupt him or he'll be one pissed off dog demon!

"No one has to tell me twice! Time for some ass-kicking, half-breed!" Bankotsu lifted his enormous pike and pointed it at a growling Inuyasha. "Show me what you got!"

Jakotsu also drew his weapon from its snake-skin sheath. "Oooh, I can't wait to see what his blood will taste like! I think we should experiment with a game of slice and dice!"

"Damn retards..." Inuyasha muttered, but he ran towards his two opponents with weapon raised and eyes determined. Sesshoumaru resumed his battle with Meimori after returning Kimera to Rin, who once again clashed with only Kagura this time. Thank gods!

Kagome and Kikyou, however, remained circling each other. The raven-haired miko didn't have a weapon to fight with, unlike her opponent armed with twin silver guns. Her hands gripping the guns suddenly glowed a bright purple, and she knew right then and there that she would have trouble battling a fellow miko.

"Are you afraid, Kagome?" Kikyou drawled, smirking at the nervous glint in her opponent's chocolate eyes.

"No!" She shot back, if only to save her pride. Oh, and she momentarily pushed back the question of why Kinky-hoe knew her. "I just don't have a weapon, so this is an unfair battle."

Not a moment later, two black metallic guns materialized in front of her, and she set her gaze back to Kikyou, who only nodded for her to take them. "Now you can't complain. Priestesses are master archers, so it shouldn't be difficult for you to use a gun. Unless...you're just naturally weak."

This woman needed to be taught a lesson! "I'll show you weak!" Kagome's hands immediately glowed pink in response to her sudden flare of anger, engulfing her newly attained handguns as well.

"Hm, we're finally getting somewhere." Kikyou lifted her arms and instantly shot a round of purple spirit bullets at her opponent. She nimbly followed the younger miko when she dodged, and disabled her from properly defending herself.

Heck, she even went so far as to flip over Kagome and shoot from behind!

However, Kagome was quick to react and shot back, preventing any of the bullets to reach her. At some point, she deduced that this type of battle would lead to nowhere, so she concentrated on Kikyou's weak points. _Ok...if I try to confuse her, then maybe I can run up and actually do some damage! _

The raven-haired miko waited for the right time to charge, but was kept on her toes as her opponent relentlessly fired bullet after bullet. _How can she have so much energy?! We barely started and I already feel drained! _Kagome gritted her teeth and sidestepped a bullet aimed at her feet. _Now's my chance! _

She raised her arm as if to shoot at Kikyou's chest, and the other miko immediately lifted both arms in order to deflect it. Yet, Kagome only slid to her left and ground her elbow into the miko's side, knocking her off her feet. But Kikyou wouldn't be bested--she propped herself up and kicked the mortal a few feet away from her.

"I should've known this wouldn't be ea--ACK!" That was close! Where in the hell had that bright white snake--oh, it was Jakotsu's sword! It was a snake sword that had many blades pinned together to act like a serpent, and it had nearly sliced her feet off!

Well, it wasn't time to dawdle, but she hoped her fiancé was ok...

All the while, Inuyasha tried to bear his own against two goddamn assholes that didn't let him recover for at least one damn second! When he successfully managed to hit one of them, the other stepped in and slashed him; hell, sometimes he had to fight them both at the same exact time!

It was hard concentrating on a battle when a series of slashes were coming from all around him!

And what was up with that stupid-ass snake sword?!

"Come here, Inuyasha! I want to hear you scream and beg me for mercy! Muahaha!!" Jakotsu was ultimately frightening--he was more sadistic than Sesshoumaru could ever hope to be! The way his black eyes gleamed in delight as he cackled insanely was scary!

The hanyou managed to jump out of the way in the nick of time, once again evading a serious injury from that damn sword. But then, Bankotsu ran up to him swinging that huge pike of his, and he barely lifted his Tetsusaiga to defend himself. Out of the corners of his eyes, he noticed his fiancée was faring well with twin sable guns--where she got them from was a mystery...

Dammit, even while he was fighting, his thoughts still drifted to Kagome!

"You're more distracted than Jakotsu gets when he sees hot guys!" Bankotsu shouted, shoving Inuyasha back with sheer force. "I can't wait until you awaken and give me a _real_ fight!"

"I don't give a rat's ass about what you want!" Inuyasha retorted, swinging Tetsusaiga over his head only to have the damn pike stop him from completing a Wind Scar. _Fuck, he won't let me any of my special attacks! _"Why don't you just crawl under a rock and die already!"

"I'll gladly do so after you do me the honors, half-breed!"

Because he was so engrossed in his sword lock with Bankotsu, Inuyasha never noticed a certain someone creep up behind him... "Heheheheh...time for me to taste your blood, Inu-kun! **SCREAM FOR ME!!"**

**"GAAH!!"** The hanyou cried out in pain as Jakotsu's snake sword, Jyakotsu, encircled his form and sliced deeply into his flesh.

He was covered in cuts and gashes after the human recalled his weapon; his blood dripped from his clothing and onto the ground. His golden wings, also suffering from multiple wounds, then vanished. Inuyasha gasped and tried to fill his lungs with air--dammit, he was in so much pain he could hardly breathe!

"Feeling weak already, Yash?" Bankotsu swung his pike at the kneeling hanyou, and it hit him hard enough to send him flying. "Hm, I guess you didn't know that my Banryu and Jakotsu's Jyakotsu are dimension weapons. Oh well, I don't want to deal with the weak anyway. You'll just have to die."

_Shit..._ Inuyasha now knew the reason why his body refused to cooperate with his need to heal. _Now I'm as useless as a mortal in this fight. _

Jakotsu wasted no time in tasting the blood of the object of his admiration. "Mmm...it tastes sweet. I love it. I want more..."

"Has anyone ever told you that you're fucking weird?"

Jakotsu rolled his eyes at Bankotsu. "Whatever, Ban-Ban." He then faced Inuyasha and grinned maliciously, readying his sword for the final strike. "It was fun while it lasted. Maybe one day I'll revive you and take you as my pet. But for now...DIE!"

**"HIRAIKOTSU!"**

**"YOU VILE WOMAN! HOW DARE YOU INTERFERE!" **

_Thank gods for Sango..._ Inuyasha sighed in relief, taking the recovery time he needed, and sprinted back into action, ignoring his multiple wounds. He smirked back at his two friends as they charged into battle beside him, handling a pissed off Jakotsu as he faced Bankotsu.

A large boomerang was situated on Sango's back, and her attire had changed into her battle outfit--a black and magenta taijiya suit. Miroku wore something similar, though in violet and black, and readied his monk's staff, which suddenly morphed into a dangerous halberd. Jakotsu was seriously going to kill someone right now!

How dare these slayers take his fun!

"What the hell took you two so long?! I figured you'd follow me after I left!" Inuyasha growled as he desperately tried to break free from another sword lock with his opponent.

His muscles ached and every time he strained his body, he lost more and more blood. Fatigue would soon start to clog his senses...he couldn't imagine what would happen once he returned to the mortal realm and became human again...

"We were alerting a few of our friends of the situation!" Miroku shouted back, using his halberd to stop the strike of the deadly Jyakotsu. "They're coming in a while!"

"Who are these 'friends'?!" The hanyou jumped away from Bankotsu and glanced to see how the others were doing. Rin and Kagura were locked in a vicious duel, Sesshoumaru and Meimori looked like they were going to slice each other in half, and Kagome and Kikyou were running all over the place shooting glowing bullets.

All was well, then!

"You'll see soon enough!" Sango replied, using her oversized boomerang to shield her from Jakotsu's furious attack. _Damn, he's not going to give up until we die!_

"Yo, who started this party without me?"

A dark-haired demon suddenly teleported into the icy area and nearly slipped on the slick ground. "Fuck, what kind of idiot would do this to Deathland?! It's Iceland now!"

"Wolf-shit, that idiot was me!" Inuyasha couldn't believe it! Sango and Miroku contacted Kouga of all people?! How did they know he wasn't with the enemy?!

"Kouga, you weren't supposed to leave without me, ya know!"

More people!! This time it was a red-headed wolf youkai who appeared next to the darker-haired one, her emerald green eyes taking in the situation. She noticed her ex-roommate among the battling bunch, and she grinned brightly. "Hey, it's Kagome!"

The miko, upon hearing her name called, glanced up and caught sight of Ayame standing off to the side. "What are Kouga and Ayame doing here?!"_ Don't tell me Ayame is an immortal, too! I never noticed! _

"First rule of battle: don't get distracted!" **Bang!** Kagome was sent flying back, groaning in pain as a miko bullet shot through her. It didn't have as much affect on her as usual since she also had spiritual powers, but it still hurt!

"I think there are too many bitches in this realm. One of them has to go..._now_." Ayame abruptly stood in front of Kagome with her head cocked childishly and lips curved into her ever present grin. "Bye bye, Kinky-hoe!"

The wolf demoness summoned two energy disk launchers that attached to each of her arms, and immediately sent out a round of razor sharp green disks, overwhelming Kikyou enough to bar her from sight. Kagome lifted herself from the ground and high-fived her friend.

Meanwhile, Kouga and Inuyasha fought against Bankotsu; strangely, as a team. This time, when the hanyou felt like he was pushing himself over the limit, the wolf demon took over with his brute strength. Amazingly, since Kouga was swift and stealthy, he hardly needed a weapon! And when he required a moment to recover, Inuyasha gladly stepped back in.

It was all working extremely well until Meimori decided enough was enough. There were too many people involved now and the odds were against him. Besides, Sesshoumaru was obviously not going to die soon because he had a gaping hole in his chest and was still fighting, perhaps even better than ever!

Therefore, the dark-haired dog demon called back his friends and glared at the group in front of him. He smirked. "So you gathered up all your allies--big deal. That doesn't mean you're getting out of here alive."

In a split second, Meimori summoned an orb of dark energy between his hands, allowing it to increase in width with every second that ticked by. The others grew alarmed, but they did not have the strength to escape his attack entirely, or transport themselves out of the realm in so little time!

The orb was growing to over five times the size of Meimori--how the hell were they supposed to do anything?!

But...

**BOOM!**

Unexpectedly, a blast of violet energy shot forth and prevented the dog demon from launching his attack. It exploded in mid air, sending out shock waves that barely harmed anyone...which pissed off Meimori...

Once the debris cleared, he furiously growled and searched the area for the new intruder, hell bent on torturing the fool until he died three times over. And there he was...a figure suspended in air by his glorious deep wine wings seeming like rich velvet...with dark hair as long as his...

...glaring at him with the piercing lavender eyes of his deceased mother...

Meimori was a few seconds away from fainting. "Oh gods...not you...please, not you..."

Everyone directed their gaze to the figure, and Inuyasha, Kagome, Rin and even Sesshoumaru gasped in shock. Floating protectively behind them was...

"I won't let you repeat your mistakes, brother. And if I have to be your enemy, then so be it."

....dear gods...

...it was Kizurei.

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**A/N: HOLY SHIT!!!! SESSHOUMARU AND INUAYSHA ARE HALF DEAD, RIN'S GONNA GO PSYCHOTIC ON KAGURA'S ASS, AND EVERYONE ELSE FAINTED! LoL, just kidding. They haven't fainted...yet. LoL! **

**Sooo...Omg, is Kizurei gonna be an ally for our main characters? Why did Kouga and Ayame show up out of nowhere? What do they have to do with anything? Are Inu and Sessh going to die? Will Rin and Kagome end up killing Ka-whor-a and Kinky-hoe? When will Inu and Kag have more romance scenes than Rin and Sessh? Very soon...**

**Is my mother gonna make an appearance? No, LoL! **

**Next chappie: action over! YAY! Back to fluffness and romance and...well, one day these peeps have to get married so the girls have to turn eighteen some time...**

**REVIEW!! HAPPY HALLOWEEN!! **


	20. Suffering and Recuperating

**A/N: OOOOH LALA!!! IT'S A CHAPPIE!!! OMG!!!! --insert valley girl accent-- So I was like, yeah I'm gonna write, and then I was like, oh my gosh, I'm so bored, and then I was like, yeah I'm gonna write like a bunch of like, crap, and then I was like, eggs and watermelons are hot. **

**Ok...I'm done being weird! Whoo! Too many likes in one sentence... --shudders--**

**This goes to **2008:** I have a question for you! Do you want everyone to go, like including Miroku and Sango, or just Inu and Kag, or Inu, Kag, Sessh, and Rin? **

Summary/Recap of whole story so far:** Ok, so Kagome, who is seventeen and a miko for some reason can't master her powers, meets a hanyou god, Inuyasha, in her dream one day. And then she met him in person that same night. She was like, oh my gods! And then Mrs. Higurashi knows him and she's like, you're getting married to each other. Yeah, so Inuyasha ends up moving in with Kagome in her school. Then his brother Sesshoumaru comes in, and he's like, yeah, I'm getting married too because father wants me to. So his fiancee is Rin. He's marrying her because he wants the throne of the Western Lands, since Inu-papa said he couldn't get it unless he married Rin. **

**Anyway, stuff happens, Yuka hates Inuyasha and vice versa, Rin dislikes Eri, and other crap. Then Meimori and Kizurei show up out of nowhere, and they're cousins of Inu and Sessh from their Dad's side. They're like, my master wants your blood. So they get it and go away. Meimori likes Rin, but Sessh hates Meimori and vice versa. Kizurei is just like, whoah. More stuff happens, and Sessh and Inu have dreams of Inu-papa, and find out that they didn't suffer amnesia like Jaken and Myouga--who are coming in later in the story--said they did. **

**And then Halloween Dance comes, and Meimori shows up with Kagura, who is Sessh's ex-lover. She hates Rin and vice versa. Then on the other side Kikyou show's up--she's an immortal miko, yeah scary--and she has beef with Inu and especially Kags. She's like, give me the Shikon no Tama. Inu doesn't know where it is, duh, and she gets pissed and shoots him with a spirit bullet. He goes down. And when he wakes up, he's like, whoah, I can see visions! **

**Oh right! Miroku and Sango come in, too, and they're like, we're your guardians sent by so and so. They're immortal and on a mission to protect the four main protagonists. So they're here to stay, too. Anymelon, Rin, Sessh, Mei, and Kagura go to immortal realm and fight. Kikyou disappears and starts fighting Rin and she's BFF with Kagura. Inu and Kags shows up later, Miroku and Sango too, and then Kouga and Ayame. Kouga, Ayame--used to be Kag's roommate, Miroku, and Sango are friends. They all fight. Bankotsu and Jakotsu show up and have beef with Inu--they're both immortal and part of a group called the Gunslingers. Kikyou's part of it, too, for some reason. **

**Then Inu and Sessh get beat up. Rin gets half of Sessh's life energy so that she can fight Kagura and not die. Basically, she lives as long as he does, but she can still be killed. And there's still a part of his energy that she needs to learn how to activate, but still doesn't know how. She gets a spear from him called the Kimera--it seems familiar to her... Kags gets a pair of guns from Kikyou, and she keeps them... Finally, Meimori' like, no, I want to kill you all. And then Kizurei shows up and he's like, I'm not gonna let you go psychotic on their asses. Meimori's like, oh shit. Why is this so? Because Meimori did very bad in the past... **

**WOOT! That was long! So, if you're still not understanding something, then please email or message me and I will tell you! My writing style tends to be very...misleading and/or suspenseful, so there are twists and turns everywhere and subtle hints to information you might need to understand what's going! DO NOT HESITATE TO ASK ME IF YOU DONT GET SOMETHING! NO QUESTION IS STUPID TO ME!! **

Disclaimer:** I do not the song Tokyo Drift by the Teriyaki Boys, the outfits from Dead or Alive, Kagome's sorceress costume, the Chicken or Hamster Dance, the song Aimo by Yoko Kanno/Gabriella Robin, the Inuyasha characters or series/manga, and I think that's it. **

Claimer:** I do, however, own Meimori and Kizurei, their father/master, Aotoki, Kimera, Ayame's disk launcher which doesn't have a name, Kikyou's and half of Rin's outfit, Miroku's halberd--but not the monk's staff, the immortal realm, all demon gods--YAY, Skillet of Doom, Pillow of Demolition, Slipper of Death, Wawa the Watermelon, Rin's talking egg, Imei Academy, Imei Academy school uniforms, my ass--I hope I regained ownership of it, and whatever else I missed. THANKS! **

**Dang, this intro was long...now enjoy! **

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**Oh My Gods! 20**

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_...Recap..._

In a split second, Meimori summoned an orb of dark energy between his hands, allowing it to increase in width with every second that ticked by. The others grew alarmed, but they did not have the strength to escape his attack entirely, or transport themselves out of the realm in so little time!

The orb was growing to over five times the size of Meimori--how the hell were they supposed to do anything?!

But...

**BOOM!**

Unexpectedly, a blast of violet energy shot forth and prevented the dog demon from launching his attack. It exploded in mid air, sending out shock waves that barely harmed anyone...which pissed off Meimori...

Once the debris cleared, he furiously growled and searched the area for the new intruder, hell bent on torturing the fool until he died three times over. And there he was...a figure suspended in air by his glorious deep wine wings seeming like rich velvet...with dark hair as long as his...

...glaring at him with the piercing lavender eyes of his deceased mother...

Meimori was a few seconds away from fainting. "Oh gods...not you...please, not you..."

Everyone directed their gaze to the figure, and Inuyasha, Kagome, Rin and even Sesshoumaru gasped in shock. Floating protectively behind them was...

"I won't let you repeat your mistakes, brother. And if I have to be your enemy, then so be it."

....dear gods...

...it was Kizurei.

_...End Recap..._

The dark haired dog demon with arctic silver eyes felt like he was seeing a mirage--his own twin brother was his enemy? His brother, who was the only one he could ever confide in, deciced to turn on him in favor of his cousins?!

Now the situation became difficult. Not only was his group outnumbered, but now overpowered as well.

Kizurei was the only one who could fight against him and win...

Miroku wiped the sweat off his brow now that the confrontation was technically over. Battling Jakotsu, even with his very skilled comrade along side him, was hard work! He swore he was going to feel multiple bruises tomorrow..."He came late, but he finally showed up. What a relief!"

Sango nodded in agreement, leaning on her Hiraikotsu for support. A deep gash on her side was openly bleeding. "If he hadn't shown up as promised, I think we'd all be dead."

"What the hell--you knew he was coming?!" Inuyasha couldn't help but to overhear their conversation, and his confusion overrided his exhaustion. It was one thing when Kizurei showed up out of nowhere, but totally another when his two friends knew about it!

Everyone else except Kouga and Ayame showed interest in the ex-monk's reply. "Yes, we did for he's the one who sent us on our mission in the first place."

"No way! _Kizurei_ is the prince who issued guardians for us?!" Kagome exclaimed, glancing at the aforementioned demon god still glaring at his frozen stiff brother. "I don't get it. I don't think I will ever understand, anyway..."

"I don't even know what you people are talking about," Rin mumbled in a feeble voice, gritting her teeth as a piercing pain shot through her broken ribs. Her fiancé noticed her discomfort, but could do nothing because she wasn't the only one bearing agony.

"And I still don't know what the hell that wolf-shit is doing here!" Even if he had worked as a team with Kouga, Inuyasha was still reluctant to accept him as an ally.

Besides, why would he befriend the wolf demon if he had been trying to pursue his fiancée a month ago, and probably wouldn't give up until his ass was thoroughly kicked?

There was no way the wolf-shit was getting any where near Kagome...

"We'll explain everything later...or maybe tomorrow...or the day after tomorrow..." Sango finally said, and they all once again placed their attention on the dark-haired twins.

Meimori suddenly smiled ruefully, lifting his sword from the ground and pointing it at his brother. "Well then, Rei, since you're not on my side, I guess you won't be on anyone's side. And I know you're working for father--all the more reason for me to kill you."

"I'm right here waiting, Mei. Just take Aotoki and stab it through my heart. Watch me die before your feet and be finished with your enemy." His callous words angered his brother, who growled prior to spreading his wings, prepared to take flight.

"Fine, dammit!"

Everyone else on the malicious dog demon's side prepared to charge at their enemies, causing the allied side to grip their weapons in anticipation. But before any one of them could move a muscle, Kizurei's eyes glowed violet, and while suspended in air, he raised his right hand leveled to his shoulder and chanted words in the immortal ancient tongue.

Suddenly, a dark purple symbol--three arcs linked together--appeared under his five opponents.

As a result, neither of them were able to move.

"They stopped in mid strike--Kizurei froze them!" Kagome's eyes observed her five enemies, who were trapped in time by a spell the dog demon apparently casted. She marveled at his power; Kikyou was in the midst of shooting a round of spirit bullets at her while Meimori had his legs bent, ready to take off into air.

Thank gods! She didn't feel like fighting Kinky-hoe again!

"Wow, they're like statues! Ha, that's what you get Ka-whor-a!" Rin didn't stop herself from sticking her tongue out at the immobile wind socreress.

"Kizurei may not be known for his sheer strength, but he knows powerful spells since he's immensely intelligent. I think he's the only one who can beat Meimori fair and square," Ayame said in complete admiration, her emerald eyes sparkling as she gazed at him.

Though, the wolf demon beside her merely crossed his arms and scoffed. "Yeah, whatever. I bet I could beat him anyday!" Ayame's ignornace at his statement was very apparent, by the way...

If the others didn't know any better, they'd suppose Kouga was now thoroughly jealous...

Yet, Kizurei wasn't finished. His eyes were still covered in sheet of violet light, and he then threw his head back, appearing to be in the process of a summoning. True to all their thoughts, four pillars of dark purple light abruptly appeared a few meters behind them--it didn't take a genius to see what the dog demon wanted them to do.

"Hurry everyone--it's time for us to leave! Kizurei can't keep the others frozen for much longer!" Miroku yelled, and he wasted no time to hoist Sango's weapon and his transformed staff onto his back. He swung her arm around his neck to keep her weight off of her wounded side. "Into a pillar! Quick!"

"You don't have to preach, monk-shit!" Inuyasha grabbed Kagome by the waist and made his way to the nearest teleporting pillar, disregarding his injuries and the black dots clouding his vision. When it came to her safety, there was no time for his own welfare.

Sesshoumaru copied his brother's actions, surprising a half-conscious Rin with his rush of adrenaline. Meanwhile, Kouga dragged Ayame away from her uncanny ogling and shared a pillar with her. Once they all reached a pillar, Kizurei began chanting again, and a split second later, he transported them to the mortal realm.

The strain of his powerful spells on his energy took a heavy toll on the dog demon, and after he made sure his cousins and their friends were safe, his wings vanished before he collapsed to the ground. Consequently, the other five still in 'Deathland' were released from their time hold. More importantly, they were left feeling like a bunch of idiots with no one to fight.

Upon seeing his brother's prone body laying on the ground, however, Meimori abandoned all else and ran towards him.

He carefully turned Kizurei over and placed him on his lap, gently shaking him into consciousness. Relief washed over him when striking lavender irises revealed themselves through narrowed eye lids. "You stupid asshole--father said to never use your powers to stop time! Do you want to be drained of so much energy that you die almost instantly? Do you _want_ to make the mistake mother did?"

"S-Sorry, Mei..." He was so exhausted his speech was a bit slurred. "I couldn't...I had to--"

"I know." Meimori sighed, biting his lip to keep his savage and unwelcomed emotions at bay. "I know, little brother. Just don't do it again--what would I do if you died, huh?"

It was Kizurei who kept him on track, it was Kizurei who always knew what he was feeling, it was Kizurei who kept him sane--dammit! His little brother was so much like their mother it hurt...he couldn't _help_ but feel protective of him. All he saw was the good in people, and all he wanted to do was help people, even if they were his enemy.

Even if it cost him his life...

Meimori didn't care if Kizurei more or less betrayed him--his brother was his brother and he would always care about him. He could never kill him...never would he lay a hand on him in fury.

_Never. _

"Is he going to be alright?" Strangely, it was Kagura who asked the question, kneeling beside him to have a better look at the feeble dog demon splayed in his brother's arms. Concern was cearly depicted in her ruby eyes for once in her life. "Are _you_ alright, Meimori?"

He only smirked through the tears trying to escape his eye lids yet failing. "We're both fine, right Rei?"

Kizurei closed his eyes and chuckled. "Y-Yeah...Just tired..."

"Then you should sleep," Kikyou stated, walking up to the three demons, "you'll regain your energy much quicker that way." The other two Gunslingers had already departed the icy area, partially because they had no desire to witness a touching scene between brothers.

"True. Sleep, brother--I'll be right here when you awaken."

"Ok..." The lavender-eyed demon mumbled, but he first glanced at his brother with a haggard smile curving his lips. "Love you, Mei."

"Love you, too, Rei." And then, Kizurei lost all consciousness.

Meimori stared at his brother's sleeping face and suddenly felt the urge to claw his own eyes out for letting his tears run freely. Gods, he knew he wouldn't be able to deal with this! Not again... Kizurei's defiance had only proved the past truly did repeat itself...

Once upon a time he had actually put an end to Sesshoumaru, but at the cost of someone precious to him.

If he was forced to relive that specific moment in time...

...it would surely kill him.

Kagura placed a sympathetic hand on his shoulder, instantly knowing the cause of his inner torment since she had lived through the 'incident' as well. There were always obstacles scattered before triumph--she knew from experience. Though, it was the way of nature and not even demon gods could change their fate. Without truly noticing it, they were in a way already forseeing their future.

"Don't trouble yourself. Perhaps this time, now that you know what will happen, you can avoid it." She was attempting to give him hope. The sorceress was an older sibling as well; she was no stranger to sibling love.

When she had lost Kanna, it was as if a knife had carved her heart out--she might seem aloof and slightly sadistic, but not even she would want anyone to suffer like she had. _Espesically not Meimori..._

He had done many atrocities in his life: severe disobediance, summoning evil, _murder_...

He had many flaws: egocentricity, ambition, vengefulness.

However...it was just the way he was--he wouldn't be Meimori if he liked to frolic in flower fields while singing songs about love and happiness.

Kagura understood him...and she silently admitted he deserved nothing of what life had in store for him.

"No, if it happened once, then it will happen again. I know it." Gods, he wished his life wasn't so complicated! Look what his ambition caused him, for fuck's sake! He wanted so badly to end the life of his cousin and take from him his innermost desire, but for what?

At the ultimate price of his own brother...? Could he bear such grief again?

And he knew without a doubt this was his father's way of punishing him--using the one person he loved most against him while recognizing his fate. Meimori couldn't compete with his master--he was too clever, too cunning...and he was one apathetic demon ruler.

Heh, he could care less about his sons...all he cared about was vindicating an unknown crime done by his deceased younger brother, the revered King InuTaishou...

"But alas, the past must repeat itself in order for the realms to maintain balance in the universe." Kikyou glanced at the crimson skies, her expression blank and her voice emotionless. Her words had a double meaning, yet the others couldn't fathom it. "It's almost time to set that cycle in motion."

Meimori acknowledged her words, even if it pained him to accept its truth. He was after one thing, and one thing only--nothing or no one could stop him after he was determined to achieve his goal. "Yes. We will revive Naraku...no matter what."

**

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**

_"I'm getting married, I'm getting married, I'm getting married--I'm getting married!" _

_She was pacing in front of a full length mirror, shaking violently as her chocolate eyes darted from wall to wall in search of escape. Her pristine white gown swept across the floor during her tirade--it was a beautiful dress, but what it indicated made apprehension wash over her again. _

_She couldn't do it! There was no way she could get married today! _

_"Do you think it's too late to tell him I don't want to get married anymore, Rin?" She finally ceased her nervous pacing and turned to another woman in the room, who only gazed back at her with haggard cinnamon eyes. _

_The younger woman was bouncing a whimpering silver-haired infant on her hip, while a dark-haired toddler repeatedly tugged on her silk peach dress for attention. In the far corner of the room, a set of triplet four-year old boys played hopscotch...and whoever lost was blasted by their seven-year old sister. All in all, the cinnamon-eyed woman was having a field day. _

_"_-yawn-_ Kagome, you look drop dead gorgeous and I don't think Inuyasha would appreciate you cancelling on the last moment. _-yawn-_ Just get on with the ceremony so that I can get some sleep." _

_The miko rolled her eyes. "It's your fault for marrying a sex god..." _

_But alas, the scene switched to her walking down the aisle. Crap, she was actually going to get married now! She was inwardly panicking, but she saw her husband-to-be waiting for her at the other end, handsomely dressed in imperial clothing only reserved for a regal king...and he was about to belong solely to her. _

_Her nerves instantly went on vacation--damn, she couldn't wait for her honeymoon..._

_And suddenly they were reciting their vows! What a quick wedding..._

_"Do you, Prince...uhh...Inuwacka, take...uhh...Mahome as your broodmare?" _

_Why the hell was a horse performing the ceremony?! No, it wasn't a horse...it was a unicorn! Oh well, Kagome didn't mind too much...but her name wasn't Mahome! And she was marrying Inuyasha, not Inuwacka! Why was she even defending him? He hadn't even gotten her a wedding ring--what a jerk! _

_"It smells like shit in here!" _

_"For the sake of the unicorn performing the ceremony, little brother, just say yes and let's be done with this ceremony! My children are about to become orphans if Rin and I don't get cake in five minutes." Sesshoumaru was standing off to the side next to his annoyed wife, supporting the weight of his twin daughters and their pet monkey._

_Where the monkey came from, no one knew... _

_But it was hungry... _

_"Keh!" And that was the husband-to-be's articulate response..._

_"Just take it as a yes," the raven-haired bride grumbled, glaring at the hanyou. He only shrugged._

_"Do you, Mahome--"_

_"Kagome!" _

_"--Kuugome, take Prince Inuwacka as your stud?" _

_Err... "Sure, as long as he can clean. Those dust bunnies under my bed need vanquishing."_

_The unicorn grew envious--he wished he had someone to vanquish those stubborn dust bunnies under his bed. But he stood on his hind legs, nonetheless. "Well said. Is there anyone who opposes--" _

_"Stop this wedding!" Everyone gasped and turned around to see none other than..._

_...a talking watermelon in the middle of the aisle! _

_The wife of the unicorn priest--who knew priests could have wives--scrambled from her post crying, "It's Wawa the Watermelon! Protect the children!" _

_But Sesshoumaru and Rin had too many of them, so they ended up hiding their kids under a bench and offering the pet monkey as a sacrifice. Wawa the Watermelon wasn't satisified, however, so he ended up kidnapping Inuyasha as compensation. "You'll never get him back! Muahaha! Dust bunnies will rule the world!" _

_Suddenly, a huge army of mini dust bunnies entered the shrine carrying machine guns, preventing anyone from going after the abducted hanyou...who was half asleep and hungry anyway. There wasn't going to be much cooperation coming from him later on..._

_Besides that...the dust bunnies began shooting poison hair balls at everyone! _

_"Oh crap, there goes the unicorn priest...he was such a good priest..." Rin shook her head, apparently unfazed by the recent occurings. People could only wonder what motherhood did to women...and their husbands since Sesshoumaru was still dying for cake... _

_"Can't fight...dust bunnies...need cake...noooo!!" And the poor dog demon shriveled into a pumpkin because he was suddenly attacked by cake deficiency syndrome. Rin mourned over the pumpkin but recovered in two seconds. Now they had dinner tonight! _

_Kagome was just staring dumbly at her chaotic wedding... Her brother, mother, and grandfather were still playing monopoly in a dark corner when their table was carried away by ninja dust bunnies... _

_"Hurry, Kagome! We can't beat the awesome power of those dust bunnies! Fly away while you still can!" A broomstick appeared in Rin's hands out from oblivion and she handed one to the twitching miko. _

_She then flew away on it as if she was the wicked witch of the west--evil cackle included--and then her eight gazillion kids followed after her on their own broomsticks, even the infant... Ah, and Rin didn't forget to bring along her husband-turned-pumpkin along for dinner! _

_'They are one strange family,' Kagome conceded. 'Now the dust bunnies are taking my guests as hostages...my husband-to-be has been tragically 'hanyou-napped'...'_

_Oh no...the dust bunnies were coming after her! They took her broomstick away! She had no means of escape! It was...it was the horror! She was going to be turned into a dust bunny amazon warrior! Gods no!_

"NOOO!!! DON'T TAKE ME TO DUST BUNNY WORLD!!!" **WHAM!!!**

"SHIIIT!!!" **THUD! **"STUPID **WEEENCH!!!"**

Kagome creaked her eyes open and blinked. Rays of sunlight momentarily blinded her, but after a while, she began to see her surroundings clearly. She was no longer in a shrine being whisked away by evil dust bunnies to their 'under-bed' territory...but she was in her dorm room...

...and Inuyasha was twitching on the floor while mumbling certain profanities.

_So...it was just a dream? Aw man, I was actually having fun._ She sighed in dismay and peered over the edge of the bed. Her fiancé vehemently glared up at her with flaring golden amber eyes, his arms and legs sprawled across the carpeted floor. _Wait, if we're back in the mortal realm, isn't he supposed to be human? _

Unless the sun had already risen...

Sitting back on her heels, the miko glanced at her alarm clock, and her eyes immediately widened. It was five PM! As in, five PM of the day after yesterday! How long had she been out for?!

"I can't believe it's Sunday! And it's so late! Thank gods I already did my homework or I'd be freaking out right now..."

"Thank you so much for worrying about me, wench! Especially when my misery was your goddamn fault!" Inuyasha cursed all the insane wenches in the world and carefully climbed back onto the bed. He was still wary of his fiancée, however; who knew when she'd start hitting people again...

Kagome giggled and patted him on the head, her mirth escalating when he only pouted and twitched his ears angrily. "I'm sorry, Inuyasha. But no one told you to get so close to me when I was having a weird dream... What _were_ you doing so close anyway, hm?"

He faultered at her deadly tone, but found no harm in stating his reasons. There was no need to be called a hentai again, though! Sheesh! "Keh! I wanted to know why you mumbled my name. Then you started talking about watermelons and dust bunnies and you freakin burst my ear drums with your screaming!"

"Whoops...did I say I'm sorry already?"

He huffed and crossed his arms in response. "You're faking it, you big fat liar!"

"I really am sorry, I swear! I'll make it up to you--I promise!" It was only then that she caught sight of the bandages covering the hanyou's torso under his baggy red shirt...and the bandages over his arms...legs...oh gods... "Y-You...Are you ok?"

Inuyasha blinked at the sudden change of topic, but noticed her lingering stare on his multiple bandages, some of which were spotted with unsightly crimson blotches. He sighed and glared into his lap. "I'm fine. You missed the worse of it, anyway."

"The worse of it?!" There had been more?! Kagome gaped--had she truly slept so soundly while everyone else suffered?

"Keh! Had I died, wench, you wouldn't have noticed with your damn snoring!"

"I don't snore!"

"Hells yeah you do! I hardly slept because of it! Oh, and now you talk in your sleep! It's absolutely wonderful!"

"That's because I was having a weird dream!"

"Hmph, about me getting kidnapped by a talking watermelon..."

Kagome decided to give up; her fiancé wasn't going to relent any time soon. Therefore, she once again focused on his injuries. "Your wounds reopened... B-But--wait, you were human last night...!"

_Not to sound crude or anything, but shouldn't he be dead?_ He had sustained pretty awful injuries, afterall...

"Miroku and Sango took turns healing me so that I could make it until sunrise. I guess I was in pretty bad shape 'cause they couldn't get all of it." He shrugged as if it was nothing to be nearly killed in battle. No, hold on--this was the same hanyou who thought a gaping hole in his gut was a mere scratch.

"So...you're ok, then? Are you feeling alright?"

"Yes, wench! Damn, I shouldn't have told you in the first place!"

"No! I'm glad you did!" Kagome protested, but she couldn't help staring at the stark contrast between his white bandages and the crimson blood staining them. "It's been nearly eleven hours since the sun rose and you haven't healed yet..."

"I'm healing slowly, but I'll be fine by tomorrow. It's the effect a dimension blade has on a demon immortal," Inuyasha replied, though a sudden gloomy look crossed his face for a split second, which didn't go unnoticed by Kagome.

She pondered it...but couldn't figure it out. However...Sesshoumaru and Rin... "Crap, Sesshoumaru and Rin! How are they?"

There it was again...that sullen expression. And even when he spoke, that same sadness was etched in his voice. "After Kizurei transported us here, we all kinda fainted around Miroku and Sango, so they had a lot of crap to worry about. Miroku took care of me first...while Sango took a look at Sesshoumaru."

He wasn't really answering her question...she could only wonder what was currently happening that he didn't want her to discover... "Look, unless someone died then spit it out already!"

"Fine! To make a long story short, Sesshoumaru isn't healing at all and he's lost a lot of blood. Rin is fine, but she isn't taking Sesshoumaru's condition well. She's blaming herself and not talking to anyone."

_Oh no... _Kagome hadn't witnessed much of what transpired before she had entered the fight, or how Sesshoumaru had attained a nearly fatal injury, but she knew it couldn't have been Rin's fault. The sole person she should blame was Meimori! _Poor Rin...she must be feeling terrible right now... _

She made a move to stand in order to go console her good friend, but abruptly stopped and turned to take a good look at her fiancé. His unruly bangs hooded his eyes from view, and his hands fisted in his dark red pajama pants as though he was trying to push back his inner emotions, yet miserably failing.

Kagome soon realized he wasn't taking his brother's condition well either. Perhaps he wasn't feeling guilt like Rin...but maybe regret...or a sense of helpessness...

Rin wasn't the only one suffering...

...Inuyasha was, too.

"Inuyasha..."

Without even voicing her suspicions, Kagome gently embraced the hanyou, mindful of his many wounds, and was surprised when his arms wrapped around her waist in return. He buried his nose in the crook of her neck as she tenderly ran her fingers through his long silver hair, at long last accepting her comfort rather than rejecting it. It seemed like an eternity passed with neither of the two uttering a single word or making a move to break apart.

Heck, it was now that the shock of the night before entered their systems.

Their battle against Meimori and his comrades hadn't been a nightmare...it was _real_. Who was to say one of them couldn't have been dead right now? Hell, someone who had shared their living space for the past month was moments away from death! Trying to envision a person they had deemed invincible actually _dying_ was near impossible.

All this time, their bodies had been numbed so that pain wouldn't bombard their senses. Shock overwhelmed them, so it was easy to shrug off what had occured until the true moment when they realized, 'hey, I just narrowly escaped death.' Who could announce that any one of their lives was normal now?

Everything only became ten times more complicated...

Kagome had never witnessed such a gruesome fight before. Everyone had emerged from the battle field with every inch of their bodies coated in a sheet of blood--either theirs or their enemies'. She had actually used a gun for the first time in her life and had thought about nothing but defeating Kikyou. She had watched her fiance be sliced up countless of times by that Jakotsu maniac and nearly killed by Bankotsu.

This wasn't something she encountered every day. She wasn't a demon god like Inuyasha--he had once stated that in order to reach a higher rank, he needed to train and fight against other people. Obviously, he often faced bloodshed and learned to deal with it. But a mortal, human schoolgirl like her... Kagome suppressed a sob.

How could she deal with it? Not one of her mortal friends or family members could ever even begin to understand what she had seen. They would never believe her if she told them what she had partaken in.

Yet...now she and her fiance were tossed into an endless labryinth...with no way out.

What was Meimori really after? Why couldn't they remember their past? What was being kept hidden from them? What kind of dormant powers did they have? Why hadn't they known about them? When would they be attacked again? Who was next to suffer near fatal injuries? What would happen next in their turbulent lives?

What, what, what, what, what--there were too many fucking whats! There were too many goddamn questions needing to be answered and they had no clue where to start! At this point, any sane person would have a mental breakdown and feel as if his or her life was slipping from their fingers faster than water!

But what now? What were they, Prince Inuyasha and Higurashi Kagome, supposed to do?

How could they revert their lives back to what they had believed was normal?

Simple.

They couldn't.

Kagome allowed her tears to flow freely, allowed them to drip down her cheeks and soak her fiancé's shirt. For the first time, Inuyasha begged any higher entity listening to him for the strength to continue his battle and protect those he cherished and cared for.

But at least...they had each other.

She was glad she had someone to embrace and lean on, someone she could cry her pain to and resolve her daily troubles with. He appreciated the only person whom he would ever allow to see him in his most vunerable moments, the only person who could see his deepest, darkest torments and help him overcome them.

Without one another, they would go insane.

That was why...from there on, Kagome vowed to remain alongside Inuyasha...

...and Inuyasha swore to hold onto Kagome.

_Until the time comes when today..._ The miko closed her eyes...

...while the hanyou tightened his grip, _...will be the end of the tomorrow._

**

* * *

**

There had to be something she could do...there had to be! It couldn't be possible that she was once again rendered completely useless! Maybe she was only human, maybe she didn't have those awesome immortal powers everyone possessed now a days--but she _had_ to be worth something!

No, no...her only inherent worth was lying to herself.

Rin sighed. Here she was wallowing in self-pity while her fiancé was on the edge of death's doorway..._because_ of her. If only he hadn't given her half of his life energy...if only she hadn't distracted him from his battle...

...if only...

No dammit! She wasn't going to suffer through this again! Her life had been filled with people sneering at her, making her feel useless and unwanted, but she had surppassed it, right? Determination and a strong will had made it possible to survive her childhood and grow into an intelligent young woman.

Perhaps...that was what Sesshoumaru saw in her. She had neither the strength nor the power of a demoness like Kagura, but at some point she still overwhelmed her. Rin wasn't stunningly beautiful or exquisitely bright--sometimes her airheadedness got in the way--yet, there had to be a reason why her fiancé would deem it necessary to die for her rather than the other way around.

Why would he...why did he push her out of the way? He knew what a dimension blade could do to him, and yet, he hadn't even thought about it.

If it had hit her...she wouldn't have died instantly, right?

"See, this is what you do to me. You make me second guess myself and my thoughts--centered around you, of course--are always trying to strangle me." Rin ruefully smiled, gazing at the immobile form of her fiancé laying on their bed. She was lying right beside him, her cinnamon eyes resting upon nothing other than him.

His breathing was haggard, and his crude bandages were soaked with blood. She had been told that being cut by a dimension blade crumbled an innate barrier around immortals permitting them to keep reviving their bodies, as Meimori had done. Basically, without the barrier, death virtually turned into an option for them.

When they attained a fatal inury, it became just that--fatal.

It was even worse for demon immortals...dimension blades slowed their healing process...

Sesshoumaru's body no longer had the strength to heal itself. He had spent all his energy making sure she stayed alive, but all for what? Just for him to die instead and leave her to fend against their numerous enemies alone?

Rin swore she was going to beat him up in the afterlife...

"You called our first kiss a mistake and it crushed me. I didn't know why--maybe because I had begun to like you. Well, now I _do_ like you, and if you die, it will kill me."

Of course, there was no response.

The human teen bit her lip and deeply exhaled. She wasn't going to cry; not anymore. So, there was only one thing left for her to do for him. He seemed to be in immense pain and his facial expression literally showed his struggle for life... What else was more relaxing than a lullaby?

She filtered her memory for one appropiate enough, but couldn't find one. Everything she knew was for...babies, obviously...and she couldn't remember any that her mother had sung to her as a child.

However...she did recall a distant tune in the depths of her mind...

It was like a song she wouldn't know the words to without the melody in the background. But...from where had she heard this lullaby? Who knew. At the moment, it was the least of her worries.

Rin smiled at her unconscious fiancé, and leaned in close so that she could sing to him, while absentmindedly placing one of her hands on his chest. She briefly mused what he would say if he found out about this, but shrugged. It was his fault for not being awake.

She began by softly humming the tune...and then gradually picked up with words foreign to her ears, yet recognized by her memory...

"_Aimo aimo_

_Neederu ruushe_

_Noina miria_

_Enderu plodea_

_Fotomi_

_Koko wa attaka na umi da yo..._"

Not even she could deny her talent for singing--it had been her passion since she was eight, after she was no longer mute. In a way, singing kept her sane because the ever lingering silence dispersed with her sweet voice. She often immersed herself in the little world her singing brought forth...

...so she never noticed something glowing bright yellow in front of her...

* * *

**A/N: END!**


	21. Song of Healing

**A/N: HI!**

* * *

**Oh My Gods! 21**

* * *

_**...Recap...**_

"_Aimo aimo_

_Neederu ruushe_

_Noina miria_

_Enderu plodea_

_Fotomi_

_Koko wa attaka na umi da yo..._"

Rin couldn't deny her talent for singing--it had been her passion since she was eight, after she was no longer mute. In a way, singing kept her sane because the ever lingering silence dispersed with her sweet voice. She often immersed herself in the little world her singing brought forth...

...so she never noticed something glowing bright yellow in front of her...

_**...End Recap...**_

"_Ruurei rureia_

_Sora o mau hibari wa namida_

_Ruurei rureia_

_Omae wa yasashi midori no ko..._"

Rin, at this point, closed her eyes and allowed melodic vibes to flow throughout her being. The foreign words to the tune in her head steadily came to her as the song progressed--she didn't know what she was saying, but it all melded into a beautiful lullaby. She had heard this song before...but from where?

"_Aimo aimo_

_Neederu ruushe_

_Noina miria_

_Enderu plodea_

_Fotomi_

_Koko wa attaka na umi da yo..._"

While she sang, she thought of Sesshoumaru recovering completely and not ever being suspectible to death again. She imagined him leaning against a tree in a large clearing as he watched her sing to the mother nature surrounding them--both of them happy and free from any worries. The sky was cerulean blue, and the grass was emerald green--the birds sang along with her and forest animals scurried about.

But best of all...Sesshoumaru was smiling...in content...because he was with her.

It was a wonderful daydream, but Rin finally opened her eyes. And abruptly, her melodic voice came to an abrupt halt. Her hands had been glowing! She snatched them away from her fiancé as if he was alit on fire and stared in awe at her appendages. They stopped glowing when she stopped singing...what was going on?!

"You can't stop if you want it to work."

Rin's eyes widened. _Oh my gods... _She switched her gaze to lie on his face and...she was met with smoldering honey irises no longer hidden by tired eye lids. His expression was blank, but he...he...

"Y-You're...you're...awake..." Her words came out as a strained croak--she was so shocked she could barely think, much less talk!

"Keep singing, Rin...just keep singing..." He cast her a tired glance that beckoned her to continue, surprising her back into reality. She had no choice but to push back her million questions and do as bid.

"_Mune no _

_Oki ni nemuru_

_Ooki na ooki na _

_Itsukushimi wa..._"

Sesshoumaru closed his eyes as he listened to her tune, and Rin kept her eyes on her hand, mesmerized by the way they glowed a soft yellow matching the sun in warmth. Eventually, even her fiancé was covered in a thin glowing sheet matching her hands...and as each moment passed, he appeared to grow stronger and less languid.

Was she...somehow healing him?

"_Tsunagu _

_Te no hira no_

_Ondo de shizuka ni_

_Me o samasu yo..._

_Koko wa attaka na umi da yo..._"

Rin once again lost herself in the lullaby, but this time her eyes were locked in a gaze with Sesshoumaru. She smiled, immensely happy that he was awake and no longer comatose. With her happiness, accompanied by extreme relief, her vigor returned and the sweet note in her voice, if possible, increased.

"_Aimo aimo_

_Neederu ruushe_

_Mukashi minna_

_Hitotsu datta sekai_

_Oide attaka na sora da yo..._"

All too soon it came to an end, taking along with it the odd glowing that appeared out of no where. However...Rin had questions she needed answered! As she inspected him, Sesshoumaru's wounds now seemed like mere scratches that would heal by the following morning. This only meant his demonic blood was no longer hindered and could adequately repair his body...huh?

"Are you ok now?" She timidly asked, fearing to touch him in fear that she was just seeing an illusion and he was actually still gravely wounded.

But he dispersed her doubts with his softly said words, "Perfectly fine...thanks to you."

The way he stared at her made the human teen blush profusely. His gaze was so intense, so smoldering that the honey of his irises consumed her and left her bewildered. Neither of them moved an inch...not until he raised his hand to tenderly cup her cheek, rubbing the pad of his thumb across her rosy bottom lip.

Rin gulped, not knowing how to proceed with her fiancé's peculiar actions. Maybe being so close to death had changed him... Nah. "Sessh..." She began, grasping the hand on her cheek before placing a chaste kiss on its palm as she usually did. "Can you explain what I just did to you?"

"You mended the barrier around me...technically, you prevented me from dying." Again with his unreadable look...his ardent eyes...

"How do you know?"

"Rin..." He paused to sit up, wincing as he did so for not all of his injuries completely healed. "The song you sang...it was in the ancient tongue of immortals, known _only_ by immortals. It's a lullaby my governess often sang to me as a pup when I was ill."

What?! A lullaby his governess--AKA nanny--used to sing to him?! How had _she_ of all people known it, then? She wasn't secretly stalking him, was she? Impossible...Rin wouldn't comprehend the ancient immortal language even if it was telepathically ingrained into her brain.

No wonder the words sounded foreign...what he understood, she didn't. "So...what does this mean exactly?"

"It means," Sesshoumaru leaned in close, so close he was merely a hairsbreadth away from claiming her lips as his, "that you are mine and only mine."

She hadn't uncovered his hidden meaning, and was about to ask for an explanation she actually understood in Japanese, but she was abruptly cut off with a sweet kiss that curled her toes, cleared her frazzeled mind, and had her yearning for more. Rin blithely sighed after he drew away, and paused for a second, pondering her next course of action.

She could still ask for an explanation...

...or she could shove it up her ass and kiss this dog demon into oblivion.

It didn't take Rin long to glomp him while laughing like a crazed woman. "I'm so glad to have you back, Sessh! You ever leave me again and you'll be going on a double date with the Skillet of Doom _and_ the Slipper of Death!"

For once, he had the dignity to cringe.

**

* * *

**

"You fucking asshole! This is why you're supposed to be dead!"

"Why, Inuyasha, I never knew you were so fond of me."

"Bastard! Go fucking die already! I was right and you were wrong!"

"I don't want to die alone...get the hint, little brother?"

"I hate you so much...gods, I'm gonna roast you on a stake and feed you to Kagome's talking watermelon!"

"Hey! I told you I was dreaming!"

"About freakin' watermelons that kidnap bridegrooms, and then dust bunnies suddenly take over the world! Wench, I don't care what you think--that aint normal!"

"You know...last night, I had a dream about talking eggs...I married a _really_ sexy one..."

"How lovely, I lost my fiancée to a supernatural and most importantly, _fictional_ egg..."

"At least your fiancée doesn't fantasize about demented watermelons..."

"Oh gods! Can you two just shut up and pass the popcorn?!"

"Keh! That's what you get for hitting me earlier!"

"I need all the supplements I can get..."

"Yeah, as if popcorn is nutritional..."

"Rin, hush. I am trying to enjoy this mortal-produced disaster called a 'movie'."

"I think I should've just let you die..."

"I think I should've just killed Inuyasha when I had the chance..."

"Don't we feel loved, bastard?"

"Overtly so."

The two couples were actually watching a movie in the livingroom now that everyone was healed or steadily healing. Miroku and Sango weren't present because they had to finish moving into their apartment across the hall--and hey! They were moving in with Kouga and Ayame since the wolf demon finally caved in!

Well, he first realized he would be closer to Kagome if he agreed...

Anyway, Inuyasha and Kagome had been shocked to see that Sesshoumaru wasn't dead, especially the hanyou. He had thrown a fit after he had become so emotional over the whole ordeal. But Rin had been kind enough to heal him to soothe his growing fury, and they all discovered she could only activate the energy given to her through the Shurikan by singing in the immortal tongue...

Strange...

So, both brothers were no longer able to die and were once again protected by immortal barriers. They were healing nicely, had the energy to roam about, and it was basically the perfect time to gather around to watch a movie!

Except it was of the romance genre, and Sesshoumaru and Inuyasha had a newfound abhorance for romance movies. They didn't understand the concept, or why the women in the movie were always helpless as well as useless. Mortal women weren't really based on them, were they?

"I don't get this piece of crap movie! She has _two_ lovers?! Where did the other guy come from?!" Inuyasha's furry ears were twitching maddly, but he momentarily stopped in his tirade to practically inhale a handful of popcorn. "Is she pregnant yet?"

"Oh look, little brother, she suddenly has five children now." Sesshoumaru was skeptical of these mortal movies with promiscuous women. Yet, he also paused in order to grab a handful of popcorn from the bowl Inuyasha was hogging. "I wonder who the father is..."

"Keh, I don't think it's either of the two lovers. Maybe she has a third..."

"There's one child with blue eyes...if I recall correctly, no one in this movie has blue eyes."

"What a whore!"

"I do not comprehend why she cannot settle for one man."

"I still don't fucking know where this guy came from!"

"For crying outloud!" Kagome finally intervened between the brothers' conversation, extremely annoyed and hungry for popcorn. "Shut up and watch the movie! Maybe then you'll understand it!"

"Yes, I totally agree!" Rin nodded her head, glaring at her impassive fiancé, who now controlled the half-empty popcorn bowl. "_-gasp-_ Oh my gods! Shiro is proposing!"

The raven-haired teen gasped, nearly bouncing on the couch. "No way! Mika better say yes!"

_"Shiro..."_ The beautiful Japanese woman on the screen began in her meticulous voice. _"I cannot accept your proposal...for I am in love with another."_

"What?!" Inuyasha exclaimed while in the process of recpaturing the popcorn bowl. "She's so fucking stupid! She has five kids--who's gonna support them all?!"

Sesshoumaru refused to relent his most prized possesion--the popcorn bowl. But he did agree with his brother. "Ah, she's pregnant again. At this rate, only the village headman can support her children."

"He's too old for her!"

"No one cares about age when money is involved..."

"You're so materialistic!"

"Do I care? Desperate times call for desperate measures."

"What the hell?! Are you secretly sleeping with old hags for their money?!"

"..."

**"YOU ARE?!"** Rin fell off the couch and slowly spasmed on the ground, mumbling incoherent words about dog demon fiends who took advantage of poor old ladies. She now felt as though she had been psychologically raped...

"I am not so impeccunious as you are to engage in sexual intercourse with elderly women for their money, half-breed." Sesshoumaru narrowed his eyes at the hanyou, daring him to say anything more.

Of course, Inuyasha was a die-hard rebel. "How do I know you don't do it just for the fun?"

"The only fun I gain is by killing them, not sleeping with them."

"So you kill old hags after you sleep with them? Damn, you're hardcore..."

"I think I'm going to be sick..." Kagome covered her mouth, supressing a gag. "You, refill popcorn bowl. _Now_." She needed some popcorn before she hurled! Ugh, brothers and their weird conversations!

Meanwhile, Rin hadn't recuperated from her recent bout of shock. Not that anyone expected her to.

Inuyasha crossed his arms and huffed. "I can't because I don't know how, wench--in your face!"

"You know how to use the microwave! You make ramen everyday with it!"

"Yeah, but then you started pressing weird buttons today and I got confused!"

"Oh please!"

"If you're so smart, then go make it yourself!"

Since he believed he had won the match, it came as an immense shock to him when the teen only dragged him off the couch and into the kitchen. He protested loudly and clawed at the carpet to save himself, but it was all for nil. Hey, he wanted to stay and make fun of the movie's plot!

Fortunately, Sesshoumaru was nice enough to pause the film before he poked Rin for any signs of life.

She only twitched.

**

* * *

**

"--and that's all you have to do. See, it wasn't confusing at all!"

"Whatever!"

Kagome smiled at the disgruntled hanyou, who despite his annoyance, cryptically enjoyed learning something new. Over their month living together, she noticed how much the hanyou liked learning new things--his canine curiosity was a gift from the heavens when it came to forcing modern concepts into his brain! In the end, he had more or less grasped modern day life, and here they were!

Standing in front of the microwave with nothing to do...

Wasn't it unhealthy to stand in front of the microwave? Oh well.

"I'm guessing you really are feeling better--you're as stubborn as always." She didn't bother mentioning their near mental breakdown a few hours ago; she figured it would only put him on defensive mode.

But...she had to say...those few minutes she spent actually relying on him helped her to cope with the new changes in her life. Her small smile widened at the amazing power he had over her emotions. If she hadn't let go of her pent up frustrations the way she did, then she couldn't imagine--whoah!

When did Inuyasha get so close?!

"I-Inu--" Apparently, he preferred for her not to speak--he effectively shut her up with a domineering kiss. This was the first time their kiss was anything but chaste; hell, what she was feeling wasn't innocent at all!

She moaned into his mouth and slid her fingers into his hair, weaving them in between the long silver tendrils, until she reached his furry dog ears. Her slender fingers teased their tips, eliciting an exicited twitch from them and a content growl from her fiancé. He then hoisted her up onto the kitchen counter as he devoured her lips, nibbling on them and taking his time to memorize her taste.

It didn't take long for Kagome to completely lose herself in the moment. His natural pinewood scent clouded her senses--it was such a masculine scent that drove her senes wild and over the edge. She loved the feel of his silky hair slipping through her fingers, his soft ears submitting to her ministrations, his velvety skin--why hadn't they done this sooner?!

Since she was overcome by ardent passion, the miko took the initiative and decided to play with him. She parted her lips just a little and let her tongue touch the hanyou's lips invitingly. It surprised her when his eyes abruptly bolted open and he jerked back.

At first, she couldn't deny that the slimy tentacles of hurt enveloped her heart, but then she noted his flushed cheeks and the way his bewildered amber eyes stared at her in shock. No, not her face...her lips, as though he hadn't know such a thing as french kissing was possible.

Kagome smiled; Inuyasha really was innocent.

_And if he's this innocent, then he must be a virgin..._ The thought soon sunk in and her eyes widened. _Oh my gods, he's a virgin! _After a moment, it was no longer surprising. He was always irate for a reason--it was his defense mechanism. Why? Because he was very shy.

The miko softly sighed and cupped his cheek, drawing the hanyou's attention back at her eyes rather than her lips. She could clearly see confusion etched on his expression; it was so cute she couldn't help but smile. "Just do as I do, ok?"

He tentatively nodded.

She leaned in for another kiss, and he copied her actions, though they were only tasting each other without...anything else involved. But she then parted her lips, so Inuyasha did the same. And then her tongue gently massaged his lips before sliding past--and this time, he didn't move away.

He allowed her to explore his mouth and graze his fangs until he felt overwhelmed by a inexplicable burning heat slowly spreading through his body and met her with his own smooth appendage. Her hands found their way to his ears again while his caressed her back, but her affection evidently consumed him the most because he couldn't supress the urge to softly growl.

Inuyasha liked this new way of kissing--he hadn't known he would enjoy it! And just when he was actually seconds away from dominating Kagome--_Ding!_

The stupid microwave decided to interrupt.

Kagome broke their passionate lock and took a moment to fill her lungs with air. She had never kissed someone so intensely before! Inuyasha wasn't faring any better either...

"Well, we should get back to the others. Sesshoumaru must be driving Rin crazy with a question frenzy." Not that the hanyou hadn't managed done so as well...

Inuyasha kehed and retrieved the popcorn from the microwave, wasting no time to empty the steaming bag into the glass bowl. "Let's go, wench."

But even as they walked out of the kitchen, they both acknowledged one thing.

They weren't done yet.

**

* * *

**

When Inuyasha and Kagome arrived at the living room, they were immediately met with the 'wonderful' sight of the other occupants of the apartment aggressively making out. No, they could never take things slowly or at least allow the other to have one moment of control--it was always a fight for dominance between them.

It was a good fight, too, apparently...

And was there a reason why Rin was ontop of Sesshoumaru with their hands going places they shouldn't?

"My eyes! Oh, it burns! I'm blinded for life!" Inuyasha shielded his eyes from the horrible sight, leaving Kagome to pat his back in sympathy.

Rin reluctantly pulled away from her fiancé and took a seat beside him with a huff, all the while glaring at the hanyou ridiculously covering his eyes. "The coast is clear, moron! You can open your eyes now!" Oooh...someone had anger issues...

"Geez, you can get laid however many times you want when I'm not there to watch!"

"Just take a seat before she kills you, Inuyasha..." Kagome sighed, and her grumbling fiancé had no choice but to listen to her. Rin was still garing daggers at him, though...

The movie commenced again...boring as ever. Sesshoumaru and Inuyasha cocked their heads a certain way each time something confusing happened--Kagome and Rin merely wanted to rip their mouths off if it would prevent them from speaking. Was it wrong for them to just want to watch a movie in peace?!

"There's seven kids in total now! They just keep popping out of nowhere!"

"I'm telling you, the village headman may be getting lucky very soon..."

"Why can't she marry that guy with the pitch fork?"

"Why don't her children look like anyone in the movie?"

"Is she pregnant again?"

"When will those children actually do something other than sit around crying?"

"Yeah, can't they work or at least beg for money?"

"I'd make them work on my farm if it would profit me."

"Hells yeah! They don't need to get paid."

"I pay them with food and water; isn't that enough?"

"Now we're talking. But I still don't get why she has so many lovers! My _ass_ is prettier than her!"

"...Mine is still prettier than yours."

"Fuck you! You have no ass!"

"Yesterday you said I had a fat ass and today you say I have no ass. Be consistent, little brother."

"Yeah, well, you--"

"That's IT!!" Steam was pouring out of Rin's ears because she was so annoyed! The brothers' endless chatter made it hard for her and Kagome to pay attention to this two-hour long movie! The matter needed to be resolved in one way and one way only!

Everyone stared after the human teen when she abruptly stood from the couch and stomped towards her room. She merely reappeared a few seconds later...but this time, she was armed...

"Nobody move--I'm loaded." She brandished a...fluffy white pillow in her hands covered in a yellow and orange Whini the Pooh sham matching her pajamas...she meant business.

"Rin, isn't that the pillow you drool on?" Crap...he should've kept his mouth shut.

"HYAAA!!!" **WHAM! WHACK! WHAM!** "Eat my Pillow of Demolition! EAT IT!!!"

"Oh shit!!" Inuyasha bolted away from the demented teen furiously hitting her fiancé with a _pillow_. The look on her face was one of a mad scientist! "I'm getting the hell--"

"_You_ aren't going anywhere."

The hanyou paled and glanced up, only to see that Rin wasn't the only one with pillows. Kagome held _two_ of them...holy shit... **WHAM!** "NOOO!!!" **WHACK!** "HAVE MERCY!!!"

Sesshoumaru, by the sheer power of some higher entity, managed to escape Rin's clutches and swiftly made a run for his room, but not without grabbing his beaten brother along the way. Once inside, he slammed the door closed and locked it. At least they had some protection against those two..._maniacs_. He shuddered at the thought of going back out there.

"What are we going to do?!" Inuyasha was terrified! Sure, being hit with pillows didn't leave bruises, but damn! They suffocated him! It was like they got together and planned his painful murder, one in which he couldn't defend himself! Gah, it was just horrible!

"I don't know..." The immortal barely survived against Rin--he just didn't want to leave the safety of his room _period_.

After a few minutes of hiding like cowards, the two brothers determined the coast was clear. It was silent, however..._too_ silent. But perhaps the girls had settled down to watch the movie on their own now that their annoying fiancés weren't present. So, Sesshoumaru cautiously opened the door...

...and came face to face with a huge watermelon.

"Since when did we buy watermelons?" Inuyasha peeked over his brother's shoulder and furrowed his eyebrows. He never remembered seeing Kagome or Rin purchase a watermelon, and he had been to _every_ single grocery trip.

Sesshoumaru shrugged, and made a move to step into the hallway, but was stopped by his concerned half brother. "No! What if it's a trap?" Angry women were clever...

"Then we will face it like brave inuyoukai." And he completely walked out of his room, hesitantly followed by the nervous hanyou.

It was still silent...and there were no signs of Kagome or Rin...but the damn watermelon must have been a sign of danger...

"See, half-breed, we are still--" **SPLAT! **"--alive."

Inuyasha gaped, yet then found himself resisting the urge to laugh. Sesshoumaru had been standing in the middle of the hallway when, without warning, an egg hit him directly in the face. A gooey mixture of eggshells and egg yolk now covered his handsome face and dripped onto his dark blue shirt.

However...

**BAM!** "FUUUCK!!" The hanyou had claimed victory all to soon. A large slice of watermelon had then collided with his face, leaving him as messy as his brother. Both demon gods wiped their faces clean, yet wished they hadn't.

At the other end of the hallway...stood their worst nightmares.

Rin smirked, bouncing an oversized skillet in her hands. "Sesshoumaru, I hope you like your eggs scrambled, because I know the _Skillet_ of Doom does."

"Inuyasha, I hope you don't trip on watermelons, or you'll be needing the _Slipper_ of Death." Kagome learned from Rin quickly--she managed to make her fiance tremble as she flashed him two fluffy sky blue slippers. It's fluffy goodness terrified him...

The silver-haired immortal covered in egg yolk glanced at his younger brother with grim eyes. "Run."

Inuyasha didn't need to be told twice. He immediately turned around and took a step towards his room, but a soft object thumped his head, causing him to lose his balance. He teer-tottered for a while, and when he thought he could start running again, he only ran into another soft object--a goddamn slipper--causing him to trip, slip on watermelon juice, and fall face-first to the ground.

From there...he had no chance to move.

"Run, Sesshoumaru! You might make it!" Inuyasha yelled after the older dog demon, who heeded him and _tried_ his best to make it to safety...

**BAM! THUD! **

...eh, emphasize tried one more time.

**

* * *

**

"Now, isn't this so much better?"

"I think it is, Rin. Oh, look! Mika finally married Shiro!"

"And they only have ten kids! Wow, that's a first!"

Sadly, the movie soon ended with the two protagonists having a happy ending with their million children roaming their grand estate--Shiro was a rich man because he became the village headman. Now that it was all over, Kagome and Rin turned to their fiancés and grinned widely.

Sesshoumaru glared at the conniving cinnamon-eyed teen...but it was all he could do. His legs and wrists were bound together by rope, not to mention he was being gagged by a towel. Inuyasha wasn't any better--at least his ears were able to twitch.

"What? Is my little puppy angry?" Rin cooed at the disgruntled dog demon, who struggled to break free from his bondage, yet failed. "It's ok! We only have one other cheap romance movie to watch!"

Kagome winked at her hanyou when he ended up rolling off the couch after trying to squirm away. "I'm glad you had rope laying around after your Physics project, Rin."

"Yup, and I'm glad we had those dreams about weird talking eggs and watermelons."

"Oh yeah."

* * *

**A/N: END! WOOT! Yay, Inu and Kags made out! aww, he's so innocent! And if you guys disagree and think Inu's hotter as a manly, wild, passionate lover, well, save it for their wedding night! ::wink::**

**Sooo...When is Naraku coming in? What happened between Meimori, Sessh, Kagura, and Rin? Did Kizurei, Sessh, and Rin die before? Is Inu jealous of Wawa the Watermelon? Are we ever going to learn more about Miroku and Sango? And what to Kouga and Ayame have to do with anything? When is everyone finally getting married and finally having sex? **

**Merf, I've never tried a lemon, so... **

**Anyway, REVIEW AND TELL ME YOU LOVE ME! If not...chapter 15, which is finished by the way, will not be posted next Friday as a Black Friday present...**

**YES!!! SHOP UNTIL YOU DROP!!! REVIEW WHEN YOU FINALLY DROP! **


	22. Trust Issues

**A/N: YAY! I'M BACK AGAIN! WOOT! I ABSOLUTELY LOVED THE REVIEWS I GOT FOR CHAPPIE FOURTEEN SO KEEP IT UP GUYS! HAPPY BLACK FRIDAY AND BELATED HAPPY THANKSGIVING! :-D **

**Hope you stuffed yourselves, 'cause I did! I love Thanksgiving with my family, it's hilarious! There's so much food, though! **

Disclaimer:** Um...I don't own the song Barbie Girl by Aqua even though I didn't use the entire song. I also don't own Resident Evil Four but I'm not sure if a virtual reality game of it exists. So yeah. **

**Anyway, if you guys are ever bored waiting for an update, then check out these **cool videos** on You Tube! I won't post the address and add spaces cuase I think that's a hassle! Here there are: **

**-**Monty Oum's Dead Fantasy 1 and 2** (I'm like in love with it! It involves some girls from Final Fantasy and Dead or Alive kicking each other's asses!)**

-Inuyasha Parody Clip** (They are five components that are no more than five minutes each! It's stupid but funny and I've watched each one of them like three million times! It **has** to say **Inuyasha Parody Clip** or you got the wrong one! Ex: **Inuyasha Parody Clip 2: Miroku's Breast Exam**, LoL!) **

**I think there was more but I suddenly forgot. Damn! Well, that's just incase you're bored! Enjoy the Chappie! **

* * *

**Oh My Gods! 22**

* * *

Kagome blankly stared at her laptop's screen for what seemed like an eternity. She was supposed to be paying attention in class and taking notes as a good student should, but she just couldn't focus. What prevented her from concentrating on an exiciting subject like Anatomy?

Her birthday.

It was in exactly five days, and truthfully, she couldn't wait to be eighteen. However, turning eighteen meant she was ready to marry Inuyasha...which was the point of him living _and_ going to school with her. She had come to terms with what her mother had kindly 'asked' of her, but still...she was going to get married.

_Married_.

The others probably didn't know about her birthday, not that she took the time to tell them or anything. Besides, Rin had yet to turn eighteen, too! Though, she had one day mentioned she was most likely one of the youngest in their grade; she had been born in late December. She still had a month to go, but Kagome had _five days_.

Excitement and apprehension danced through her veins.

The miko also feared the attachment to the word wedded--it happened to rhyme with it, as well.

Wedded and bedded.

_Bedded_.

She knew her duties as a wife. At some point, she was going to have to complete them. Frankly, however, it was hard to tell if Inuyasha was thinking along the same lines. He was just so..._innocent_ for the lack of a better word.

Kagome never knew young men could be virgins until she met the abrasive yet shy hanyou. Of course, after their little adventure in the kitchen a few weeks ago, he had become a _tad_ bit more brazen, but imagining them sharing the same bed doing anything _but_ peaceful sleeping was extremely difficult.

Perhaps Inuyasha wouldn't demand anything of her. She wasn't ready for sex--not yet. Her mind was prepared for wearing a bridal gown, reciting vows, and accepting a husband, but definitely not what came afterwards. Furthermore, what else best complemented sexual intercourse than the children bound to happen one time or the other?

Kagome wasn't even going to progress to the topic of being pregnant...at eighteen.

No...she was going to wait. She had an attraction to Inuyasha, both physically and emotionally, a connection allowing her to trust and accept him, but she wasn't ready to go all the way and actually _give_ herself to him entirely. And without voicing his thoughts on the matter, she knew he wasn't ready either.

Infact, she would even say he was scared of yielding himself to her or _any_ woman.

Why was unknown to her, however.

Kagome sighed and supported her head with her right hand, staring lazily at her Anatomy teacher scribbling insanely small words on the chalkboard, expecting his class to be able to read and copy them down. What chapter were they on, again? Heck, she didn't even know what they were studying.

It did come as a shock to her, though, when a window suddenly popped up among the white background of her blank word document. After a few moments of processing the chat invitation sent by her fiancé, she clicked on accept and read his message.

'Inuyasha says: Yo, wench, what's up with you? You haven't typed up a single word Oboro-sensei was saying. Keh, are you finally doing what I told you to do?'

She smiled at his concern masked with his usual gruff attitude. He sat right behind her and could tell if she was working assiduously or not. Apparently, he noticed the latter.

'Kagome says: It's nothing, just tired. Get back to work because I'll be copying your notes later.'

'Inuyasha says: Hmph, what am I, your personal note-taking service? I better get paid for this. And hey, you slept like a rock last night so don't lie to me!'

The miko shook her head and her smile broadened. Trust Inuyasha of all people to brighten her mood.

'Kagome says: Is it so wrong for me to want to think? Sheesh, I might as well tell you the kind of underwear I'm wearing. Demon gods always want to know everything...'

She tried so hard to not start laughing because she knew from the growl she heard behind her that he would get defensive about her statement. A cute blush probably adorned his cheeks, too...heheheh!

Come on, she hardly minded that he was for once showing concern for her!

'Inuyasha says: That's it! I'm never going to care about your mental state again! And you can forget about copying my notes! It's not my fault you're bitchy today!'

'Kagome says: Lighten up! I was joking.' The raven-haired teen cast a grin over her shoulder, all the while receiving a heated glare along with an uncanny blush. So he was innocent as well as gullible!

'Inuyasha says: Ha ha, very funny wench. Anyway, remember that date thing we wanted to try three weeks ago? At the dance?'

_What date thing...?_ She took a moment to recall the events of the dance, pushing aside the more devastating ones, and finally remembered her truce with the hanyou. He had suggested dating and she conceded...but they never set up a date...

'Kagome says: Yeah, I remember. What of it?'

'Inuyasha says: You feel like going somewhere tonight?'

"Whoah," the teen couldn't help mumbling, gazinng at her laptop's screen as though she lost her brain to probing aliens. He was asking her out! Again! Inuyasha, the proud, arrogant, defensive, and extremely shy hanyou was asking her on a date!

By instant messaging. How romantic..._not_.

But she didn't mind because this was her volatile fiancé she was referring to!

'Kagome says: Where to?'

'Inuyasha says: Keh! I ain't tellin' ya! Just say yes or no.'

_From where did he get all this information about dates?_ Yeah, how was he supposed to know it should be a surprise?! He could've given her a hint... And who even _told_ him dates existed?! _Sesshoumaru, perhaps? No, he doesn't seem like he cares when it comes to dating. _

'Kagome says: Sure, why not? As long as you're paying and I get free food somewhere in there...'

'Inuyasha says: Have I ever told you that you're a gold digger? Damn sneaky wenches...'

'Kagome says: Whatever. Ok, we should stop--Oboro-sensei is walking around to check our notes. Crap, I don't have any!!!'

'Inuyasha says: Calm down wench, I'll send them to ya.'

She breathed a sigh of relief. Having him in her class was actually very handy! Especially when she decided to not pay attention when her Anatomy teacher could be the next future dictator of Japan...

'Kagome says: Thanks, I owe you one.'

'Inuyasha says: All you owe me is ramen at lunch next period.'

'Kagome says: _I'm_ the one who's supposed to be getting free food!'

'Inuyasha says: A deal is a deal, wench. See ya at lunch!'

And he ended their chat, though not before sending her a file of the notes he took on today's boring lesson, which she greedily accepted. Somehow, he took amazing notes...it was like he memorized the lesson...oh well!

Kagome turned her head only to see his smirking face. Inuyasha really expected her to buy him ramen, now did he? _I'm not sneaky for just any reason...muahaha!_

Seriously, she should be on Japan's most wanted list...

**

* * *

**

"GRR!! Fine! Do whatever you want, Sesshoumaru!"

The moment Inuyasha and Kagome reached their lunch table was the same one Rin practically fled from it. It was lost on them why she was so frustrated--heck, she was near tears--but they did know that her fiancé aloof as ever. Was it possible for him to dismiss Rin's outburst as a mere tantrum?

Yes, sadly.

"What the hell happened?" Inuyasha asked once he took a seat beside his brother, not even noticing his fiancée taking the unoccupied one to his left.

Over the time the hanyou had spent living in the same apartment as Rin, he had grown fond of her as a big brother would to his little sister. If she was hurt in _any_ way, someone was going to pay! Hmph, it was the least he could do after she consoled him during his altercation with Kagome...

Sesshoumaru refused to answer, however; he instead immersed himself in his plate of beef yakitoki. Fortunately, Sango and Miroku, who were enrolled as first year college students, shared their lunch period and were witnesses to the recent events. They were entertaining additions to their growing circle of friends, since Sango painfully showed Miroku why she took control of their relationship everyday.

The sole thing either of the four friends complained about the new couple was that, as a way to relieve them of their stress for at least a while, Miroku and Sango had neglected to inform anyone of exact details pertaining to their mission.

Well, no one cared at this point.

Sango sighed and sipped her cup of green tea before responding to the hanyou's hasty inquiry in Sesshoumaru's stead. "It all began with...um...a senior high school student, the one wearing the bright yellow headband. I don't know her name."

Inuyasha and Kagome searched for the aforementioned student, and the miko paled when she noticed the mess involved Eri. A few months ago, Eri had been infatuated with Sesshoumaru--she believed her 'feelings' for him had died down! No wonder Rin was pissed!

_What has she done now?_ She could only guess. "Her name is Eri, she's a friend of mine." Not that she talked to her former friends anymore...they should be pissed with her right about now...

"Anyway," Sango nodded, adding the name of the teen in her mind for future reference, "she came over here at the beginning of the period--"

"When Rin wasn't around, mind you," Miroku interrupted, shaking his head at the scandal that had unfolded in front of his very own eyes.

"--and asked Sesshoumaru on a date."

The hanyou and miko blanked, though shifted their eyes to stare at the impassive dog demon ignoring the world around him. "Tell me you said no, bastard..." Inuyasha wasn't surprised that he was ignored. "Fuck! You idiot!"

"Yup, he accepted right when Rin came. Naturally, she flipped and told him to refuse, but Sesshoumaru said, and I quote, 'I don't feel like it'," the dark-haired first year college student sighed. "Now she's upset."

"With good reason!" Kagome exlcaimed, turning to Sesshoumaru. "What the heck were you thinking?! You're engaged to Rin--you're not supposed to be dating anyone else!"

Finally, the silver-haired immortal showed some kind of reaction, but it wasn't one that the furious raven-haired teen had expected, like guilt or remorse. Instead, he narrowed his threatening honey eyes, darkened a shade by his silent ire. His brother instantly recognized the darkening of his eyes as a bad omen...

But Kagome was as stubborn as any dog demon...

"Rin specifically told me to be polite and curteous to you _mortals_." He spat the word 'mortals' as though poison coated his lips. "She specifically told me to accept whatever they demand of me. Is my accepting Eri's offer of a friendly dinner not included?"

"I'm sure Rin just meant to listen to your proffessors! And _what_ friendly dinner--when it comes to Eri, _nothing_ is as innocent!" Kagome knew what she was talking about! She had been Eri's friend for years; when the girl set her eyes on a guy she liked, she knew _exactly_ how to trap them!

"Besides, you goddamn asshole, you know Rin hates that headband bitch," Inuyasha interjected.

His eyebrows furrowed, however, as he analyzed the situation further. The hanyou felt like there was something else happening that he wasn't being enlightened on... Better yet, Sesshoumaru's true intent on accepting Eri's 'date' was _not_ for a friendly get together.

_But what is it then? What the hell will he gain from going out with an annoying bitch like the headband girl? He never even gave her a second glance before._ Inuyasha attempted to read his brother's expression, yet it was damn near impossible! His face was carved from ice; no emotion flickered in his viscous honey eyes.

"Do you truly suspect I have a sort of interest in someone like Eri? I told the girl as such, but I decided to grant her wish and dine with her, anyway." Sesshoumaru suddenly stood up with his tray in hand, having finished his lunch and no longer desiring to remain seated among these vexing morons. "Rin would do well to understand that."

"She's your fiancée! She can't help but get angry when the demon she's supposed to marry is parading around with another woman! Tell me, how would _you_ feel if she was dating another guy behind your back? A _human_ guy!" His scoff declared his disgust at the thought.

Yet, what was he thinking?! There was no way the silver-haired demon god deemed he was doing the right thing by going on a stupid date with Eri, the _one_ person who irked Rin beyond belief! Kagome couldn't even _begin_ to comprehend his thought process.

Gods, just who the hell did he think he was?!

Sesshoumaru smirked in response to her incredulousness. It was a cruel smirk, sadistic in every way, revealing his indifference to the pain of others and his ignorance of mercy. "You are completely right, miko."

She blinked, surprised at his sudden concession. "Ok...does this mean you're going to refuse Eri's offer now?" Hope glittered in her chocolate eyes.

"No. You know why?" He paused to let his inquiry sink in. "Rin would not be so upset if she truly trusted me."

And then Sesshoumaru left without another word or even caring about the baffled states of the two couples he left behind at his lunch table. Inuyasha checked his ears to see if he had heard his brother correctly while Kagome banged her head on the table.

"Well, this isn't anything new, right Sango?" Heck, Miroku actually seemed chipper, as though he _wasn't_ affected by Sesshoumaru and Rin's predicament! "Ah, I love a little drama now and then..."

"Can you even classify this as drama? They'll get back together in five minutes," Sango responded, sounding quite sure of herself. She was so confident, she returned to her neglected lunch and contentedly consumed it in three bites. "Mmm, mortal food is good!"

"What the heck, you guys?!" Kagome gaped at her two new friends, who cocked their heads and mumbled a 'what'. "Sesshoumaru is going on a date with Eri because of some trust issue with Rin! Is this information _not_ important to their guardians?"

"Keh! They're both a bunch of idiots, that's what." Inuyasha decided not to waste any more time trying to solve mysterious cases also known as his brother's brain and Rin's uncharacteristic jealousy. "All they need is to get laid."

"Alas you know the answer to all of our worldly problems, my friend!" Miroku grinned and high fived the hanyou from across the table. Kagome and Sango shook their heads at the immature buffoons in pity. "But seriously, Kagome, trust is a key aspect of Sesshoumaru and Rin's relationship. If I were you, I'd be throwing a party because he's finally bringing it up!"

"Very true. After the issue gets settled, those two will never be the same again. I even bet their wedding will be right around the corner..." And it was Sango who winked mischeivously at her boyfriend!

Inuyasha smirked after he finished his hefty bowl of ramen, which had _not_ been the courtesy of Kagome, dammit! "I'll take you up on your bet. Five-hundred yen says they'll be married in June." He fished for the money in his pocket and then slammed it on the pristine white surface of the lunch table.

Miroku placed a hand under his chin in deep thought. "Weeell...normally I would abstain from these kind of activities..."

"Yeah right," Sango snorted, also searching for money to bet in her tote bag. "Ok, I found five-hundred yen! I got dibbs on April--it's Rin's favorite month."

"You people are crazy!" Kagome couldn't believe her friends were actually betting on the wedding date of a couple currently in dire need of solving personal problems! _What if they never clarify this trust issue and it scars them for life?!_

"Then join us, wench. Gods know you'll fit right in with the crazy people." Inuyasha's vibrant golden amber eyes were permanently fixed on the growing pile of money about to become his in the center of the table...

"No way!"

"Oh, what the heck! I'm betting five-hundred for March 20th." The others stared at Miroku oddly since he actually chose a specific _day_ in a month, and he shrugged. "What? It's Spring Equinox Day..."

Ahem. Right.

Everyone shifted their attention to the sole person who had yet to call for any bets. Kagome glowered at them for amounting peer pressure on her, but she sighed and caved in anyway. "Alright, alright! I'll bet five-hundred yen for May. Happy now?"

Her excited fiancé nodded. "Yup, 'cause all that cash is gonna buy me a shit-load of ramen."

"Dream on, dog boy. I need a new pair of boots."

**

* * *

**

"--and then I was like, that's totally unfair! I mean, come on, I only had a day to write the script! Of course it's gonna suck! I definitely had reason to be pissed off, right?"

"Mhm."

"And then Ayumi had the _nerve_ to schedule her chorus concert on the same day of my play! People are gonna choose music over drama! Well, maybe except the girls, right?"

"Hn."

"So, Yuka has been acting weird lately, and I personally don't know why. Who knows if she's planning to go to Ayumi's concert instead of my play? Geez, talk about best friends. I thought Kagome was _my_ friend but she hangs out with your brother now. Oh well!"

"..."

"Hey, are you gonna finish your steak? It looks _really_ good..."

"Hmph."

"Can I have it?"

"...hn."

"Yay! Thank you _sooo_ much, Sesshy-kun!"

"...?"

Sesshoumaru stared at Eri as she happily munched on his left over steak--yeah, he actually didn't feel like eating his favorite human food--and had to wonder why he was here. What had possessed him to accept this friendly dinner and endure endless torture?

Grr!

She talked so much nonsense! _Her brain must be the size of a dust particle..._ No, even smaller! All she thought about were boys, her stupid play, and a bunch of gossip having _no_ importance to him!

Obviously, she also failed to note that he had ceased speaking to her obnoxious self the moment their 'date' commenced...

The dog demon sighed and sipped his glass of water, absentmindedly glancing around the small local resturaunt Eri had led him to. His golden honey eyes looked for one specific person admist the people around him...but found no one. He was hoping for the impossible, he supposed.

Then again, he shouldn't be disappointed.

As Eri voiced her satisfaction with his steak, Sesshoumru's mind drifted to how he became involved in this predicament in the first place. He recalled his motive for his current actions...the experiment he was carrying out in order to test his theory.

Rin didn't trust him.

Of course, she heatedly denied his suspicions, but she could hide nothing from him. Sure, the beginning of their engagement had been a bit turbulent, yet it was proceeding quite nicely now. Though, before they recited their vows, he first needed to bury the past.

Working together in the fight against Meimori had enlightened him. He was now able to view Rin in a new light--one of a determined, strong-willed woman bravely fighting by his side. He imagined her going to high lengths to protect what was hers, even if it took her life; hell, he imagined them ruling the Western Lands _together_.

The silver-haired immortal couldn't deny the thought of Rin being his equal on whole new levels was _very_ appealing...

Furthermore, she belonged to him now and he wasn't about to let go. For her sake, he had performed a Shurikan, had given her his gift--his own _life_ energy. It wasn't a matter easily disregarded and it definitely wasn't something of no importance to him.

He hadn't told her this, yet she was technically his mate in all but body.

They shared a newly arisen bond that he felt every single day of his life; it was known as a bond of mates. He was certain Inuyasha was aware of the bond he had involuntarily established with his miko--it was the only way she could have ever sensed him in danger a few months prior.

Originally, the thought of marrying a human mortal, especially _mating_ one, appalled him. When Rin was first attacked by Meimori and lost a lot of blood, Inuyasha nearly suggested mating her--it would have prevented her from dying.

Though, the silver-haired immortal had been quick to refuse.

Humans were worthless creatures who submitted facily to the demands of others. Most of them did not regard themselves highly enough to defend them and theirs. Why would he waste his time with a feeble mortal who was not able to handle matters as his queen if he were ever impaired?

Sesshoumaru detested that common quality in human mortals.

But then he met Rin, the one human who would have given her life had it meant saving his.

She was a threat to his beliefs--no doubt about it. Yet, he wasn't about to let her slip by--she was going to be _his_ despite his alleged hatred for humans. Before finalizing things between them, however, Sesshoumaru wished to see if she trusted him. If she did, then life with her would be ok.

He had no desire to live knowing his mate believed he cherished another woman.

Specifically a demoness.

If Rin truly trusted him--his actions and words--then she would know he belonged only to her, and no one else could even _dream_ of taking him away from her.

_Ever._

Sesshoumaru had shared his beliefs with her...had tried to make her listen...yet...

_...Flashback..._

"Let go of me!"

"Not until you listen to me."

Rin glared at him defiantly, inwardly cursing his stubborn streak, and wretched her wrist free from his grasp. But she stayed firmly in place, crossing her arms and waiting for him to speak. He would be lying if he said he didn't want to kiss her right now...

"Fine, dammit! What? _What_ do you have to say to me that would justify you going out with Eri?" She pat the words and especially drawled the headband girl's name as though she was referring to the devil himself.

Sesshoumaru was not intimidated by her anger, however. "It's _only_ a friendly dinner, Rin. I have no interest in her whatsoever."

"I know you don't, but I still don't like her."

"Why?"

"Because she's a mindless idiot!" Rin yelled, taking advantage of the fact that no one was in the apartment listening to their argument. "She gawks at you like you're some divine creature from heaven! How do _you_ feel when Meimori flirts with me, huh?"

"At least I make my dislike known to him."

"Oh, so you want me to stand up to Eri? You want me to tell her how she shouldn't be taking my fiancé on pointless dates?"

"Is it asking for too much?" Sesshoumaru stared down at the human teen, challenging her, waiting for her to accept his bait. "We wouldn't be having this argument if you trusted me in the first place."

"I _do_ trust you, for goodness sake!" Rin was growing exasperated with this fool! "Stop repeating the same thing over and over again! If I didn't trust you, Sesshoumaru, I wouldn't have given my _life_ to you!"

"What are you? My slave?" He smirked in spite. "Would you rather be my slave than my wife? How ambitious of you."

"Shut up! You know **damn** well that the day we get married is the day we get divorced!"

"And why should that be?"

"_You're_ the one who's been saying it since day one!"

"But now I'm telling you to disregard the past and you refuse to acknowledge my words." The dog demon shook his head in pity, igniting Rin's ire once more. "I do not understand what it is you want from me."

"I want you as a whole," she replied, seeming all of a sudden weak and powerless. Her tone of voice admitted her defeat in aspiring to be something more than his ticket to the throne.

He _hated_ her human weakness. "You want me, yet you are not willing to fight for me. You fight along side of me, you share my enemies, you cry for me, you _kiss_ me--but you fail at fighting for me when it involves another woman."

"I fought Kagura, didn't I?" Rin huffed, rolling her cinnamon eyes. "She was pretty gaga over you, not that you cared to tell her to fuck off." _Oh_, she was already resorting to cuss words.

Very amusing.

"Yet you won," Sesshoumaru's pride of her victory was apparent as he spoke, "but you are not finished. Once a battle is over, a new one commences--with yourself."

"I don't need to listen to this and I especially don't need you, if that's what you're alluding to."

Rin turned to leave, but gasped when he hauled her back and slammed her against the wall. It wasn't enough to hurt her, though it did grab her attention, and her wide cinnamon eyes were forced to gaze into his smoldering honey irises. He entire body was tense with fury--he was _serious_ about this.

Hell, she was pinned to the wall with no escape! Apparently, he wanted to _ingrain_ his beliefs into her brain.

"Listen and listen carefully for I will only say this once." Sesshouamru struggled to keep the growl out of his voice, and Rin swore his eyes flashed red once or twice. "I am _not_ so vain that I will leave you for a demoness like _Kagura_ the second you turn your head."

"And that means _what_ to me?"

"Damn you and your insolence!" He viciously swore and leaned his head in close to emphasize his point. "How the hell do you still think I will only use you to attain my throne after I performed a Shurikan?!"

"News flash, Sesshy-kun--_you're_ the one who said it in the first place. I'm just following your orders."

"I gave you my _gift_, Rin! The highest honor a mortal can receive from an immortal!" His outburst shocked the cinnamon-eyed teen into submission. "I gave you half of my _life_ energy! My goddamn **life!** Do you think that means _nothing_ to me?!"

"It was out of duty. What kind of person would you be if you left your fiancée to die by the hands of your ex-lover? Besides, how will you get your throne with me dead?" Rin was skeptical of his words, and it angered her fiancé.

"I chose to do it for you! I **chose** to, dammit! I would have left you to die had I truly no care in the world--and I would have gotten my throne because it is my birthright _regardless_ of my father's wishes! If I still desired Kagura, I would have _let_ her kill you, but I didn't. Why? Because you belong to me as much as _I_ belong to _you_."

Rin smirked and shook her head. "Ha! You expect me to believe that? I suppose you also had an epiphany and thought this through, huh? I don't know what you're trying to gain, Sesshoumaru, but _forget_ it. Hurry now, or you'll be late for your date."

"This is what I'm saying--you _don't_ trust me. Here I am swearing my fealty to you and you brush me off like a pesky fly." And he knew how annoying those shits were. "Yet, I am willing to forget this feud if you prove me wrong and assert just how much you despise Eri. Relieve me of my torture and I will surely follow you."

"What the hell--is this some kind of game to you?!" Rin pushed away from him with all her might and succeeded in securing an escape route. She moved as far from her fiancé as she could in order to avoid being pinned again. "I don't know what you want from me, but like hell I'm gonna go along with it! Do you think I'm an idiot?!"

"I am not--"

"You're going on a fucking date with the headband girl so that you can prove a stupid point! Well, go ahead! Prove how much I don't trust you! I. Don't. **CARE!!!"**

_...End Flashback..._

Sesshoumaru sighed. Afterwards, Rin locked herself in their room and had not shown herself since. He had no choice but leave her be. His attempts to reason with her probably ended in her loathing him--it was _far_ from what he wished.

"Hey, you guys! Mind if I join you? I swear I won't be staying long."

His body completely froze. A sweet scent infiltrated his nostrils and was processed by his brain as being vanilla and lilies--it was familiar. The owner of the tantalizing scent had an equally compelling voice that was currently sugar-coated in false civility, a voice he knew to hold a secret talent for singing.

He then instantly recognized this woman.

Rin.

Sesshoumaru glanced up from his glass of water and was met with a rather mischievous smile belonging to only one person: his fiancée. He stared at her in disbelief for what seemed like ages. What were the chances of hallucinating after eating steak?

Perhaps it had been drugged, because there was no way _Rin_ could be the one standing before him right now... Not after she adamantly refused to see his point of view.

_I must be going insane. _He might as well fall into a coma right about now since he wasn't breathing properly...

Eri blinked in confusion and cocked her head at the newcomer. Why Osaka Rin was here, she had no clue. "Well...we're currently on a date, so..." Did it look like she wanted an intruder?

"Oh, forgive me for interrupting!" Rin seemed courteous and genuinely sorry for her mistake. Sesshoumaru marvelled at her acting skills. "But you see, I'm just here to pick up my fiancé."

"Fiancé? Where is he?" Eri asked. Of course, she only wanted to know in order to gossip about it later.

_She cannot be so dense. Humans must all be talented actors._ Sesshoumaru raised an eyebrow at the terribly baffled and curious mortal sitting across from him. _Or better yet, Eri is the special one who has a disease called moronitis. Doctors, beware. _

"He's right in front of you. Eri, meet Maebashi Sesshoumaru, _my_ fiancé." The accent on 'my' was very conspicuous. If she still ignored the possessive note after tonight, then Eri needed mental help.

Seriously.

Eri was severely confused, and rather incredulous. She looked towards the taciturn dog demon, who only nodded in agreement with Rin. "Ok...so why are you here again, Osaka?"

Rin's surgary smile didn't falter even though Sesshoumaru felt like swiping the headband girl's head off and calling it a day. Geez, what was wrong with her?! "Let me tell you a short story."

"Suuure..."

"There once was a girl named Rin who had a fiancé named Sesshoumaru. One day, another girl named Eri asked Sesshoumaru on a date, and he only accepted because he wanted to prove a point to Rin." She took the chance to glare at him, and he shrugged.

"These characters seem similar to us..." Eri responded. So she was finally taking note, huh? Not quite.

"Yes, Eri, because they _are_ us." The girl wearing a bright yellow headband gulped at Rin's terrifyingly patient tone of voice. "Anyway, then Rin came to get her fiancé back from Eri. But Eri was too stupid and didn't want to understand that he belonged to her. So Rin did the only thing she could do."

The obsidian-haired teen, with an ever present smile on her attractive face, grabbed a nearby glass half-full with coca cola, and poured it onto Eri's lap. Her mahogany brown eyes widened drastically, but she was in too much shock to move a single muscle.

Sesshoumaru was now smirking in victory... Yes, this meant she trusted him!

Though, she wasn't even done yet.

"Oh, but Eri deserved much more than a cold soda and ice bath, or so Rin thought. She couldn't help it when a plate of food slipped from her hands--Eri just never knew when to back off from Rin's property." The teen then sighed in pity and dumped a plate of steak, rice, and vegetables ontop of Eri's head.

"Eri was panicking now, but she needed to be taught a lesson: Rin is a psychotic maniac. Stay away from Sesshoumaru or Rin will make life a living hell. The end!" To top her story off, Rin was even so kind as to take a small plate of ice cream and smear it on Eri's face. "Wow, Eri, did you get a new look or something? It's fabulous!"

"You...y-you...**YOU BIIITCH!!!"**

"Nah uh! I'm specialbecause I'm _Sesshoumaru's_ psychotic bitch." Rin shot the disgruntled teen a smug smirk and faced her fiancé, whose victorious expression related to hers. "Let's go, Fluffy-kun! We have to get to our own date with a cheap romance movie and a sofa!"

Damn. He might as well stay with the headband girl. "I can't wait..." Yet, he wouldn't even attempt refusing a dangerous mortal like Rin.

Not one person in the local resturaunt made a move to stop Rin and Sesshoumaru from leaving, though everyone _did_ clap at Rin's presentation. One teen, Emiko, even commented, "Damn, I wish I had done that when Masao cheated on me... I guess Eri can't gossip about me now, but I'll definitely take over for her!"

Poor Eri.

_Not._

* * *

**A/N: END!**


	23. First Date

**A/N: HI!**

* * *

**Oh My Gods! 23**

* * *

Kagome was in pure awe. Not only was she finally on a date with her fiancé, he brought her to one of the most famous arcades in town, the same one she'd been _dying_ to try out for ages! Oh, but the surprises didn't end there! He surely planned this before hand because the second they arrived, he had led her to a secluded, VIP section of the arcade's resturaunt.

And it was reserved _only_ for them.

Their date wasn't overtly romantic, and it was fine with her because it was their first one. All she wanted to do was get to know him--so far, her idea was working out perfectly. Gods, she needed to find out who was his source of information! It was all too much for him to have figured out alone!

Inuyasha cocked his head at his fiancée in confusion. She had stars in her chocolate eyes as she stared unblinkingly at him--did she have a heart attack and tragically died? Her endless stare was beginning to creep him out...

"Hey, wench, you haven't touched your chicken fingers yet." He plopped three french fries in his mouth before continuing. Gods, those fries were delicious! "I'll eat them if you don't want 'em."

The miko snapped out of her daze and shook her head. This date was going to be the death of her. "Don't you dare touch my chicken fingers, Inuyasha, or I will kill you."

"Keh! Why the hell are they called chicken fingers? Are they made from--"

"_No_, they're not. Chickens don't have fingers."

"Well, what about chicken fee--"

"I don't know what _you_ eat, but we mortals don't eat chicken feet as appetizers." At least she hoped not.

The hanyou finally gave it a rest and practically inhaled his large plate of french fries, his golden eyes glowing in euphoria. Kagome smiled at his regular antics and took the chance to glance around the secluded area. It had a retro theme to it--she was currently seated at a vibrantly colored booth with odd trinkets surrounding her and dim lighting that changed colors every few seconds.

All in all, she loved it.

"So," Inuyasha paused to order another plate of fries while Kagome wondered how many stomachs he had since they were still waiting for their entrées, "are we gonna get to know each other now?"

Ah, so he remembered what she wished to do. "If you want to."

"Keh!"

"...um..."

"...are we done getting to know each other?"

"Nope."

"Crap."

Apparently, neither of them knew what to do at this point. They had desired this, and they were hesitating to initiate their plans! And then Inuyasha's new plate of fries, larger than the previous one, arrived only to steal his attention and give him a means of distraction. Great.

"Ok, let's at least try--" Kagome cut herself off when she noticed her fiancé was not even listening to a word she was uttering. She sighed and grabbed his plate, earning a mouthful of protests. "Here's the deal. I get to ask a question and you have to answer it. After you do, you get a fry."

"What?!" Inuyasha gasped and clutched his chest, right above his heart. "Only one?!"

"Fine, two."

"Two?!" She rolled her eyes. "Whatever! But I'm returning the favor!" He held her basket of chicken fingers captive despite her envious glare. "Now we're even, ya sneaky wench."

"Alright, alright. _However_, if I think your answer isn't good enough to earn two fries, I'm not giving you anything. Deal?"

"Same goes for you."

"Sure. Then I'll go first." Kagome wracked her brain for a suitable question to ask him, but those straying from personal topics were scarce. The last thing she desired was to render him in a foul mood--she could live without a glimpse of his temper. "Umm..."

"Well?" Inuyasha was impatient for his fries, dammit!

"Can I ask you _anything_ at all?"

"Whatever."

"You promise not to get mad?"

"Geez, just ask so that I can get my fries!"

"Fine! How did your mother die?" _Way to go Kagome; you _had_ to start off the game with a touchy subject._ She watched the hanyou's eyes darken, though it wasn't in rage. He was reminiscing... Oh no, he wasn't supposed to get sad either! "You don't have to--"

"I...I'm really not sure. Someone just told me she passed on--she was attacked or some shit like that." He shrugged as though it hardly bothered him, but his fiancée saw through his act. It hurt him not knowing the true cause of his mother's death, as it would to anyone.

"I'm sorry to hear that, Inuyasha," Kagome whispered, her eyes revealing the sympathy she felt for him and his silent torment.

Again he shrugged. "Don't worry about it. Where the hell are my fries, wench?!" She giggled and handed over his promised reward, which he nearly tore from her hands. "Let's see...where's your old man at?"

Her father...was not someone she wanted to talk about. They were both touching upon sore topics, apparently. "He's dead. He died from a car accident when I was eight."

Inuyasha's ears drooped even though he tried to appear unaffected. "Well...here's your chicken crap."

"When you put it in those terms, I might as well not eat it." She smiled and ravenously plopped it into her mouth, nonetheless. "Have you and Sesshoumaru always hated each other?"

"I think at first it was sibling rivalry and then it grew to the point of loathing after our Dad died. Sesshoumaru never really accepted my half demon heritage anyway, so that's another thing."

"But you guys don't fight as much now a days. I think he's changing his views now that he's with Rin."

"Maybe." Inuyasha briefly mused if his father had foreseen his eldest son's acceptance of humans alongside of Rin--the old coot had been as clever as a dog could get.

Though, Kagome's words rung true; he found his brother becoming more and more open with him as the days progressed. Hell, they even hung out together when Kagome and Rin went studying! Sesshoumaru _was_ gradually changing. Inuyasha could either thank or blame Rin.

Oh well, it was his turn to ask a question. "Uhh...what's your favorite color?"

Now _that_ was very general. "It's green," Kagome replied and promptly received her reward. "Do you want to become a king?"

"I have to."

"But do you _want_ to?"

Inuyasha didn't know how to respond. He wasn't greedy in that respect, and truthfully, he had no desire to govern a kingdom. The whole concept seemed relatively boring to him--he'd reather sit through a lecture than tend to economic problems and whatnot. Yet, it was a duty required of him because his mother had bore no other sons and his relatives on her side of the family made themselves scarce at his birth.

_Keh, stupid human family. _What a bunch of bastards!

If he had the chance, he would prefer to renounce the throne all together.

"_-sigh-_ I don't need a kingdom, I don't need wealth, and I don't need power, so I guess I don't want to be a king, either." His answer surprised Kagome, but she didn't comment on it. "Let's see...um, what's your favorite shape?" A blush bloomed in his cheeks.

What was up with generic questions?! Was he incapable of inquiring on in depth, soul-searching subjects? "Well...uhh...I..." Did she even _have_ a favorite shape? "I'm smitten with hearts, since in elementary school, I drew them better than circles." Oddly enough.

"Hmm..." The pensive expression on his face was a little _too_ suspicious... "Ok, wench."

"Whatever. When is your birthday?" She was dying to know!

"...do I _have_ to tell you?"

"If you want your fries..." What was so bad in telling her his birthday?

"Keh!" Inuyasha decided he might as well relent. Hunger was ravaging his stomach again, anyway... "It's five days from today."

"What?!?!" His birthday...was on _her_ birthday?! They were born on the same day! _Ok, he was born in the mortal realm...and there's a time difference...yeah, maybe that's it. _Either way, she still had to buy him a present! "Wow, we really _are_ the same age..."

"Yup. Me turn." He first took the chance to eat his fries in one gulp, probably without any chewing involved. "Do you like pups?"

"Pups? As in puppies?" She mused if he was going to get her a puppy...

"No, wench! As in...what's the human term? Kids...you know, little brats."

_Oh, children! Whoah...are we talking about having kids already?_ "Sure, I like them." Kagome refrained from revealing anything else, though. At least it seemed to satisfy him. "Alrighty...um...Why do you and Sesshoumaru hate Meimori and Kizurei so much?"

Inuyasha sighed. He had been waiting for this question. "Hatred runs deep between Sesshou-bastard and Meimori for reasons you already know. Kizurei is probably the only one of the two we can both tolerate. Though, technically, we were _born_ hating them."

"I don't understand...and these fries are mine until you clarify." Kagome found this topic interesting. Her fiancé's family was an enigma--if he had any other relatives, she wouldn't know, but she had at least met his twin cousins.

_I wonder how his uncle looks like..._ He was another perplexing person...why he had strove to attain their blood was still a mystery to everyone...

"Look, my uncle and my old man were basically at odd ends with each other. I don't know what happened, but Dad did something to piss Uncle off when they were teenagers, and even after Dad's death, Uncle still harbors rancor for him. As a result, Meimori and Kizurei were raised to detest their cousins and vice versa."

"That's horrible! Why should you guys be involved in your father and uncle's affairs?"

"Dunno. But like I said, it runs deeper with Sesshoumaru and Meimori, to an extent that not even I understand." Inuyasha also agreed on the cryptic notion that his family was very obscure. "Sooo... Would you mind becoming a queen?"

"Um..." The question caught her off guard and she seriously had to ponder it. Kagome never imagined becoming an _actual_ ruler of an _actual_ kingdom--maybe she had wished to be a princess as a little girl, but that was only for play!

Was she even leader material?

Though, Inuyasha seemed expectant and rather anxious to know her answer, and she couldn't delay it for much longer. _As long as he's with me...then it won't be so bad._ "Not really. Just don't die and leave me to rule alone, ok?" She sent him a wink, making him blush.

"I ain't dying anytime soon, wench!"

"_Right._ Anyway, how did you learn about dates?"

Inuyasha became increasingly uncomfortable, and the blush from earlier returned with vengeance. "I'll pass."

"Oh come on! I'll give you _five_ fries if you answer!" She waved the tempting golden strips before him, allowing him to see their crispy goodness...inhale their inviting smell...

Fine! He couldn't bear it! "I asked your brother about it."

"What?! You talked to Souta?! When?" _How didn't I know about it?_

"One question at a time! Now..." He snatched the fries from her hand and gulped them like before, ignoring her penetrating glare. "Would you accept a _hanyou_ as your mate or would you prefer a full demon or human? And this is hypothetical--the hanyou isn't me!"

Well, his blush gave it away, didn't it?

_First he wants to know if I like children, then he asks if I mind becoming a queen, and now his 'curiosity' wanders to my accepting a hanyou--ahem, him--as my mate. Where is he going with all this? _The miko had to wonder what her fiancé had up his sleeve... _He's not planning to propose, is he? Nah, we're already engaged._

She didn't know what she would do in that situation in the first place...

Well, there was always the easy way out: faint or munch on a random Twix bar.

"If I truly love him, his race wouldn't matter to me." Kagome hid a grin at the conspicuous breath of relief Inuyasha let out. She couldn't fathom what he was planning in that little brain of his, but she would go along with it.

For now.

"It's my turn at long last! When did you talk to Souta?"

"Last week, while you and Rin were at the library."

"Dang, you're sneaky."

Inuyasha winked. "I learned it all from you, wench."

Kagome crossed her arms. "Keh!"

* * *

After they ate their three course meal and 'got to know each other', Inuyasha and Kagome proceeded to discover why the arcade was so famous. The two were currently in the gaming section, competing to see who could win the most number of tickets in an hour. Their time was almost up, and both had a huge wad of purple tickets stashed in a plastic bag for convienience.

And now, the only game left to win tickets from was _it_.

Resident Evil Four: Horrifying Virtual Reality.

"We should check it out, wench." Inuyasha watched the preivew of the virtual game on display outside a black-tinted door and was completely thrilled. He didn't understand how those undead zombies could go after people if they were just that--_undead_, but who cared!

Kagome, however, was less excited. She was staring at the television screen in horror. "You can go. I'll wait right here." Hmph, no way was _she_ going in there...

"Oh no you don't! You're coming with me!" He grabbed her hand and hauled her through the tinted doors, ignoring her pleas and attempts to break free. His handsome face was accented by an ever present smirk as he thought, _She's just gonna have to deal with it! _

"Inuyasha! _Please!_ It's terrifying! It's monstrous! It's the horror!"

"It's just a bunch of harmless zombies, wench! Get over it!"

"But--"

"We're gonna win as many tickets as the points we get, so suck it up!"

"Gah! You're worse than a tyrant!"

"Yeah yeah, bite me, why don't ya?"

"Maybe I will..."

"...damn frisky wench."

They arrived at the gear station, and Inuyasha wasted no time to grab a padded vest and virtual game helmet. He stared at it in confusion, but shrugged and put it on, anyway. Kagome hesitated, but another glower from her fiancé willed her nerves to go on a hike. She was doing this for the tickets...she needed those tickets in order to win the cocky asshole also known as her fiancé...

They stepped through a couple of doors and into what seemed like a maze cloaked in darkness. Kagome supposed the virtual reality game was contained in four floors of mazes...gods, she had to survive four floors! She tried to make a run for it while Inuyasha was too busy complaining about the terrible lighting--there was no lighting--but...

...it was too late.

"Cool! I got a shotgun! Hells yeah! Take that you piece of shit!" Inuyasha was having fun blasting away at...anything _but_ a zombie. They had just begun the game and already he was wasting his bullets!

Kagome shook her head and stared down at the measily army knife she held in her hands. Wow, she was lucky... Hurray for the great video game simulations. "Save your ammo for when we actually encounter a zombie, ok? Remember that the objective of this game is to save the prime minister's daughter, not blow over innocent trees."

"Keh!"

She dragged the over-zealous hanyou away from the poor tree he was trying to blow up and continued down the path in what seemed like the middle of nowhere. They neared a bridge, and they suddenly heard a Spaniard shout, "Ahi estan! Matalo!"

"Oh crap! Kill them, kill them, kill them, kill them!!!" Kagome urged Inuyasha to blast away at the group of four 'not zombies'--they weren't exactly undead--heading their way, but he only stared at them curiously. "Why aren't you killing them?!" She merely had a knife, for goodness sake!

"There's supposed to be a guy with a chainsaw in here..." He surely noticed the absence of the powerful chainsaw man and was dismayed. "Damn, these assholes tricked me!"

**"KILL THEM ALREADY!"**

"Geez, you're scarier than those freaks, wench..." **BANG! BANG! BANG!** "There, all gone. Fuck yeah, we got four points!"

Kagome wiped her forehead and glared at the hanyou, who cocked his head in return. "Next time you decide to stall, make sure I don't have a knife on me." He gulped.

The bridge was now safe to cross and they didn't hesitate to walk towards the other side. Soon enough, the couple arrived at the village square...that was _full_ of not zombies. Fortunately, not one of those demented villagers caught sight of them.

"Ok, we need a--" Kagome furrowed her eye brows when she noticed the absence of a certain hanyou beside her. She looked around only to discover him marching towards the center of the huge group. "Inuyasha! What are you doing?!"

"Keh! Get your ass over here, wench!" He called from over his shoulder, and not a second later, one of the diseased villagers glanced up and saw him.

"Ellos son! Agarralos!"

Kagome wanted to rip her hair out! "This is why you _don't_ go into battle _without_ a plan! Argh! Stupid arrogant--"

"Stop whining and help me out!" The hanyou was trying his best to fend off more than twenty hachet-throwing villagers all at once, but wasn't faring very well. "I can at least use you for bait!"

"Grr! Run out of the village square!" Kagome yelled, darted through an escape route her fiancé had unwittingly provided for them. "Hurry!"

"But--"

"Just RUN!"

Inuyasha grumbled a few choice words under his breath, yet he complied, and the next thing they knew, the villagers suddenly retreated at the sound of a church bell. Now they were left to roam the village on their own...

**

* * *

**

"It's all _your_ fault!"

"Hell no! _You're_ the one who hardly fought!"

"I had a freakin' knife! The only thing I could do was _stab_ people to death, which I _did_ do!"

"Well, you should be _thanking_ me for having gotten us so far in the game!"

"You're right, but no one told you to waste your ammo!"

"But the chainsaw guy would've killed you!"

"That's no reason to keep shooting at his headless corpse!"

"He could've come back to life..."

"The villagers in the game aren't immortal, Inuyasha."

"Keh."

Kagome sighed and shook her head. At least they had received a whopping total of fifty tickets from killing fifty zombies, though they ended up splitting them in half. She justified her earnings of twenty-five tickets with the fact that she was the hanyou's supervisor...

In the end, she won the competition with four-hundred and twenty-six tickets while Inuyasha merely had four-hundred and two. Oh well, he spent his game tokens on silly games like whack the weasal, stating that he was going to send the damn weasal to hell.

Never happened.

The couple now shifted to the none ticket-issuing games, the last section of the huge arcade. It was nearing ten in the evening, an hour before school curfew on a weekday, but before they left, Kagome wanted to try out one last game. She pulled her fiancé towards a karyoke booth appearing as a fascimile of regular recording studios, enclosed in a secluded room to boot.

_People in school are raving about this...time to see what the commotion is all about._ A smile graced her attractive face, and without a second thought, she stepped inside the booth, Inuyasha in tow.

The hanyou was bewildered when they entered a completely white room--the lack of color terrified him and caused him to second guess his mental health. "What the hell are we doing in here, wench?"

Kagome was too busy typing away at a touch-screen computer to listen to him. After she finished, she turned to him and placed a wireless microphone in his hands. He tentatively sniffed it, immediately recognizing it as one of those black objects Imei Academy's dean used to project his squeaky voice during assemblies.

Ugh, horrible memories.

"We're going to record a music video, Inuyasha." He stared at her dumbly, yet she refrained from elaborating. "You see this wall?" She pointed to the one in front of them. "Lyrics to a song are going to appear, and when they do, you're going to sing them."

"Wait--what?!" Inuyasha did not equate with singing! "You expect me to sing?"

The raven-haired teen grinned cheekily. "I expect you to sing _and_ dance. It's simple, though--I'm sure you've heard this song over the radio." His mind blanked.

He didn't know what she was blabbering about...

"Don't worry, I'll be singing too, just that you'll have the major parts."

"...I ain't singing."

"If you do, my precious little hanyou," his eyes twitched at her sultry tone of voice--she just sounded like a creepy old witch who wanted to molest him while he slept, "I'll let you choose whatever you want the next time we go grocery shopping..."

"Whatever I want...?" His golden eyes glittered at the thought of filling three carts of ramen, candy, and meat without the annoying wench telling him it wasn't healthy. The offer was too good to pass up. "Fine. What song am I singing that you claim I know?"

Kagome smirked. "Barbie Girl, by Aqua."

He gaped. _Damn wench..._ "Fuck." _I'm definitely stacking up on ramen and candy after this... _

"Remember, you have to sing _and_ dance."

_Dance? What the hell?! _Inuyasha took a deep breath and nodded.

A few seconds later, after Kagome clapped her hands, the bright lights in the room dimmed and a disco ball popped out from the ceiling, enveloping the entire room in a variety of flashing lights. Inuyasha blinked, and was only slightly surprised when lyrics to the song he was supposed to sing appeared on the screen in front of him.

Shit. He actually _had_ to sing...

And then...the background music began to play with Kagome starting off...

...as Ken.

And she sounded exactly like him, too! Her voice deepened! Was she secretly a man?!

_"Hiya, Yashie!"_

Ah, because there were no other singers in the background, she was able to exchange Barbie's name for his without distrupting the flow. Except, she had called him 'Yashie'. Damn.

His turn... _"Hi, wench!"_

Gah! His voice sounded like Barbie's! He swore his voice wasn't as high pitched! Oh well, he loved the way his fiancée glared daggers at him for calling her wench...again.

_"Do you wanna go for a ride?"_

_"Sure wench!"_

For the moment, Inuyasha decided to ignore his voice change. He was going to achieve his goal of a grocery shopping spree, dammit, no matter _how_ much of a girl he currently sounded!

Ack, it was horrible!

_"Jump in!"_

Yet, Kagome seemed to be having fun playing the role of Ken...

If the wench could do it, then so could he! There was no way he was backing out of a challenge!

_"I'm a Barbie girl, in the Barbie world_

_Life in plastic, it's fantastic_

_You can brush my hair, undress me everywhere_

_Imagination, life is your creation!"_

Inuyasha tried to act as girly as possible, if only to prove to Kagome that he wasn't about to run away with his 'nonexistant' tail between his legs. He pretended to brush his hair, winked at his fiancée to come 'undress him everywhere', and even swayed his hips in tune with the beat.

Basically, he was loosening up.

But the supermarket _better_ have a huge stock of ramen or else!

_"Come on Yashie, let's go party!"_

Kagome returned his wink and waved her hand in a 'come hither' gesture.

_"I'm a Barbie girl, in the Barbie world_

_Life in plastic, it's fantastic_

_You can brush my hair, undress me everywhere_

_Imagination, life is your creation!"_

The hanyou heeded his fiancée and sashayed his way to her, only to flip his long locks of hair in her face--hey, she asked for it!

_"I'm a blond bimbo girl, in the fantasy world_

_Dress me up, make your time, I'm your dolly..."_

He wasn't blonde...and he didn't know what a bimbo was. And yet, here he was...losing all dignity and self-respect while singing and dancing to Barbie Girl. He wasn't a barbie doll in the first place!

Oh well! It didn't stop Inuyasha from doing things he would never _ever_ do again in his entire life!

_"You're my doll, rock 'n' roll,"_ Kagome eyed the hanyou warily when he actually rolled on the floor..._ "...feel the glamour and pain... Kiss me here, touch me there, hanky panky..."_

Just for the hell of it, she slapped the rear end he was flaunting in her face and grinned as his cheeks passed through different shades of red. Hmph, it was payback for giving her a mouthful of his hair!

_"You can touch, you can play..."_ Inuyasha wagged his finger at his naughty fiancée. _"If you say, I'm always yours...ooh oh ooh!"_

He batted his eyelashes, and Kagome fleetingly wondered how mascara would look on him...

_"I'm a Barbie girl, in the Barbie world_

_Life in plastic, it's fantastic_

_You can brush my hair, undress me everywhere_

_Imagination, life is your creation!"_

Kagome pulled on his hair when he tried to flip it in her face again, sending him crashing to ground, microphone in hand. Hmph, and her foot on his chest prevented him from rising back up only to attempt the same annoying trick once more. It failed to stop him from singing his part, though...

_"Come on Yashie, let's go party!" _

_"Ah ah ah, yeah!"_

Inuyasha beamed up at her... What was he planning...? And why was he still dancing on the freakin' floor?!

_"Come on Yashie, let's go party!" _

_"Ooh oh ooh, ooh oh ooh!"_

The miko's foot was relentless...what a powerful appendage!

_"Oh, I'm having so much fun!" _

The hanyou was definitely having a lot of fun, especially when he hauled Kagome to the floor with him! Now they were a heap of limbs laying on the presently neon green floor...oh wait, it changed colors to purple. Grr, this was the effect of forcing Inuyasha to sing Barbie Girl!

_"Well, Yashie, we're just getting started..."_

_"Oh, I love you wench!"_

Since Kagome was ontop, she believed it facile to stand back up, but the arms wrapped tightly around her waist made it hopeless. Now that the song finished--he was so dead!

"That's it, Inuyasha! I'm gonna kick your ass _so_ hard that--"

His lips on hers effectively halted her promise of pain, and she merely sighed in bliss, any and all thoughts of slowly torturing him to death fleeing from her mind. He dominated their kiss even from his submissive position beneath her, controlling his own passion in order to tease Kagome with gentle nibbles on her bottom lip. Eventually, he pulled away before the kiss became anything but chaste, leaving his fiancée breathless.

"So..." Inuyasha whispered huskily, smirking at the miko ontop of him with all the arrogance a teenager could possess. She briefly shut her chocolate eyes, relishing the way his warm breath caressed the sensitive hairs on her ear. "What was that about kicking my ass?"

"...huh?" Kagome was too dazed to even care. "Shut up and kiss me again."

"Only if you say I'm always yours, wench."

She responded with another heated kiss.

* * *

**A/N: END! Dang, why is Kagome always ontop? Inu needs to get more aggressive with his woman like Sesshoumaru! LoL! So, Sessh and Rin fixed their trust issue--her feelings on the whole thing are unknown but it will stay like that! Until further notice. Inu and Kags went on their first date...and they're engaged. **

**Sooo...what could Inuyasha be planning with all his weird questions? Will Kagome make a good queen? Will Inuyasha truly not die and rule with Kagome? When are Sesshoumaru and Rin having kids? Where is my muffin? What's Yuka plotting behind everyone's backs as romance floats in the air? **

**Hmph, floats in the air...how corny... **

**Well, I shopped until I dropped! WOOT! I bought a bunch of clothes and two hoodies at PacSun! And I finally have my long awaited wool jacket! YAY! **

**NOW IT'S TIME TO REVIEW! IF I GET A LOT OF REVIEWS, LIKE MORE THAN TEN, THEN A CHAPPIE IS IN YOUR FUTURE A WEEK FROM TODAY! **

**REVIEW! CUZ I LOVE YOU! **


	24. Birthday Time

**A/N: HEY PEEPS! WOOT! TEN DAYS UNTIL MY BIRTHDAY AND ELEVEN DAYS UNTIL I GET MY PERMIT!!!! :-D**

**So, here's the schedule. Today I have updated chappie 16, hooray! On Monday December 15, I will post chappie 17, yay again! And right before Christmas, I will post chappie 18! WOOT! That's three chappies in a month! It should be a record! **

**Um...I don't know what else to say...so just read! **

Disclaimer:** There's too many of these, geez. I don't own anything, ya know? Like DDR or cake or half of the birthday song...or Sesshoumaru's ass...Inuyasha's abs...Naraku's beard...LoL! **

**The birthday song in this chappie doesn't have a perfect rhythm to it or a beat. But if you must know, I got the idea from the **Funny Birthay Song** on You Tube, the one that sounds kind of western. So yeah. Imagine the beat whichever way you want. It can be to Mozart or your favorite rock song or whatever! :-D **

**ENJOY THE CHAPPIE! **

* * *

**Oh My Gods! 24**

* * *

Her eighteenth birthday was the best day of her life.

_Not._

It should be among the times she held special in her heart, but no! Her stupid teachers decided to assign essays at the same exact time--hell, she even had to write a damn essay in gym class about how to play volleyball! What the heck was that?! They conspired against her, recognizing it was her birthday weekend and plotting her death with their weapons being pointless five-page essays.

Stupid teachers.

Not only that, but her apartment was empty. No, her stuff wasn't stolen; everyone was just gone. Even Sesshoumaru failed to be present! She could've dealt with a cranky, coffee-deprived dog demon in the morning--she hardly cared about his glares potent enough to freeze her from the inside out as long as she had some kind of company!

She was going insane!

They all just disappeared...she woke up this morning only to find her bed empty and no grumpy Inuyasha in sight--he had as much homework as she did so he was bound to be irritable. Rin and Sesshoumaru apparently believed Saturday mornings were the best times to have random dates, as stated by the note they left behind.

Well, they sure have gotten closer the past five days...

Anyway, where was she? Oh yeah, her friends were abducted by aliens. She had no where else to turn to so she walked across the hall to Miroku and Sango's dorm only to find it empty as well. It was no surprise with Ayame--she was barely in a dorm in the first place. Kouga...she didn't know his weekend habits, so his absence was justifiable.

Miroku and Sango, however... Hmph, they joined Rin and Sesshoumaru on a morning date.

Gah! Did everyone forget that it was her birthday today?!

Oh right...she never told anyone.

Kagome gloomily sighed as she rode her bike to her shrine home, hoping that her family's bustling energy cheered her up. It was all her fault not one of her friends was present for her birthday, one she deemed incredibly special, but she would just have to deal with it. For some reason, the thought of telling them her birthday scared her.

Perhaps it was because a tiny part of her refused to accept the notion of her getting married.

Ugh, another thing to depress her. While she still wasn't considered an adult by society until the age of twenty, she was now legally able to marry, either way.

Phooey.

"Well, Kags, here goes nothing." It was already evening, and her friends were still no where to be found, so the miko decided it would be nice to visit her family.

She ascended the numerous steps in front of her while hauling her atrocious pink bike as well, and wasn't surprised to be met with complete tranquility.

Not a thing was out of place. Buyo was no where in sight... Heh, the fat lazy cat hardly left the warm comfort of the house, so...

Kagome placed her bike alongside the wall of the shrine home and leisurely slid the shoji screen doors open. She took her time removing her shoes, and put them on a rack beside the entrance before treading onto the fluffy beige carpets. The miko silently praised her mother's cleaning abilities--the house was impeccable.

Furthermore, the inside of the house reflected the outside's serenity...

_Don't tell me no one's home!_ The last thing she needed was for Souta to have another one of his Saturday morning indoor soccer games in which her mother and grandfather enthusiastically attended. _Surely they at least expected me to come over on my birthday..._

She wasn't selfish, but she could use some presents and cake right about now!

The raven-haired teen neglected to even shout her presence in the home and strode into the kitchen, yawning on her way there. As she pretty much anticipated, her mother wasn't in there preparing supper. Yup, no one was going to wish her a happy birthday, she supposed.

Kagome sighed in dismay. "I might as well get some shut-eye..."

Half way up the steps to her room, however...she heard some kind of commotion coming from the family room. It sounded like someone was shushing another person to be quiet, and was that _growling_ she heard? If no one was truly home...certainly Buyo couldn't make those noises alone.

She shook her head as a smile upturned her frowning lips. Standing before the closed door to the family room, Kagome mused if she should humor her family and go upstairs, or just go inside. Of course she opted for the latter and slid the screen door open...

**"SURPRISE!!"**

...but she definitely wasn't prepared for what met her gaze.

"O-Oh my...gods..." Her chocolate eyes instantly brightened at the sight of all the people in her family room...celebrating _her_ birthday! "Wow..." Coherent thoughts weren't processing through her brain at the moment.

"Kagome! I'm so happy to see you!" Souta latched onto his sister before any one else had the chance to, almost threatening to cut off her air supply with the huge bear hug he gave her. "Happy birthday, Sis!"

"Keh! She probably thought we abandoned her on her birthday..." Inuyasha was here! The smirking hanyou was standing beside his older brother, who nodded in response to his statement, looking bored as ever.

Rin was bouncing on his left, balancing her excitement with his boredom. "No way, Kags! How could we leave you alone on your most special day? You're eighteen now!" She then turned to the smirking hanyou and beamed at him. "And so are you, mister!"

"K-Keh!" He ignored it for the most part...

"Kagome! It was horrible! These...these _insane_ people forced me to remain quiet about this party and allow you to suffer! Oh my poor mate--fear not! I, Kouga, am now here to brighten your day!" Even the wolf demon prince had been invited...but she wished he would disappear when he enveloped her in a hug, causing Inuyasha to growl.

"Stop it, Kouga! We agreed to control your amorous behavior towards Kagome while Inuyasha's watching, remember? You don't need to make him jealous every second of the day."

_Ayame, too?_ The miko felt tears pinprick her eyes! _Everyone was gone this morning because they were helping set up my surprise party... I feel so loved!_

"What?! I'm **not** jealous of that wolf crap!"

The fiery red-headed wolf demon princess huffed and crossed her arms, rolling her emerald eyes at Inuyasha. "Says the mutt who wants to rip out my boyfriend's throat..."

"How many times do I have to tell you, Ayame, that I'm _not_ your boyfriend?! Geez! _Kagome_ is my only lover!"

**"WHAT?! I'LL KILL YOU!!!" **

"Kouga, look what you did! Be a good little wolf and let go of Kagome _right now_ before you're girlfriend makes you."

"But you're not--"

**"NOW!!!"**

Miroku and Sango stood off to the side, shaking their heads at Kouga's regular display of affection, which drove Sesshoumaru to glomp his brother on the head to control his rage. Either way, the wolf ended up releasing the miko and obediently stood by a self-satisfied Ayame.

At least he managed to indirectly render dog turd with swirly eyes...

But when a certain ex-monk's hand began to wander down Sango's lower backside--why was she standing next to him?--Inuyasha wasn't the only one with swirly eyes...

Kagome cleared her throat of the emotional lump preventing her from speaking, and faced her mother and grumbling grandfather graciously. "I love you guys _so_ much! Thanks for doing this for me!" She knew Gramps must have griped over the amount of demons in his home...

Mrs. Higurashi chuckled and drew her daughter into a warm hug. "It's what you deserve, dear! Happy eighteenth birthday!" She then turned to her future son-in-law. "You, too, Inuyasha!"

He glanced away from his glaring contest with Sesshoumaru. "Um...thanks." Not like he really cared about his birthday. "Oomph!" But, he made the mistake of looking away from his opponent and ended up with swirly eyes again.

What a lovely present...

"Well, now that the birthday girl is here," Miroku interrupted the mini fights simultaneously occurring in the family room with his smooth, charming voice, "let's get this party started!"

Souta was acting as the DJ today, and upon receiving his cue to begin his job, he played the first song on the CD he had provided for entertainment. Kagome grinned at what it turned out to be.

"The Chicken Dance?" She laughed at his excited nod. "Oh well, you're the DJ, not me!"

"Oooh! This brings back memories, doesn't it, Sessh?" Rin glanced at her fiancé, only to see him glowering at Kagome's younger brother. "What's up with you?"

"I hate this song...bad memories..." He shuddered, recalling the grueling school dance Rin had forced him to attend. Gods, he had sworn never to dance like a chicken ever again!

She merely shrugged like the merciless devil she was deep inside. "Still doesn't mean you're not dancing with me!" And Rin dragged him to the middle of the family room--the designated dance floor--while ignoring his protests.

There weren't much to begin with, but sheesh!

"My lovely Sango," the chestnut-haired woman glared at her boyfriend when he offered his arm to her, "would you like to accompany me in the Chicken Dance?"

"No." The chilling vibes flaring around her should've been enough to scare any man off, yet Miroku wasn't _any_ man. He was _her_ man--as much as she'd like to sell him to slavery.

"Ah, you wouldn't _like_ to, but you _will _anyway," he replied with a chipper smile and copied what Rin had done, hauling his unwilling girlfriend out into the 'dance floor'.

Sango was left cursing Miroku's interpretation of her words in his favor--he pulled the same trick all the time! At that moment, Sesshoumaru and Sango bonded on whole new levels... They both _abhorred_ the Chicken Dance...

Heck, they might flee home and blog about it.

Eventually, Ayame forced an equally unwilling Kouga to show off his chicken moves. Ack! Kagome's grandpa was doing the Chicken Dance, too! And with Rin and Miroku on either side of him! Ohoh, it was only now that Sesshoumaru and Sango felt abandoned...

Even Kouga became a bit miffed when he was dumped for an old geezer who could do the chicken dance better...

Kagome grinned as she watched her friends mingle and enjoy themselves. She took the chance to look around the family room, decorated with balloons, banners, a variety of colored streamers, and much more in honor of her and Inuyasha's birthday. It hardly mattered that she felt like a kid again stuck in a house party--it felt good to have a bunch of people celebrating her big day!

Not to mention the cake looked terrific! It was three layers topped with white, red, and green frosting--partly to accommodate Inuyasha's favorite colors, as well. His name was scribbled on it under hers, and all in all, she couldn't think of a better person to share her birthday with.

But he'd most likely eat all the cake...

The miko was still smiling when he moved to stand beside her, taking in the sight of his brother practically glaring daggers at the old man stealing _all_ of his fiancée's attention. "You're not joining in, wench?"

"Nah, I can survive without the chicken dance," she responded, smirking at him. "Why don't you go ahead and shake your tail feathers for me?"

"Keh! I don't have a tail, much less tail feathers."

The miko laughed. "So, how did you all know today was my birthday, huh?" Her friends were a bunch of sneaky conspirators...

Inuyasha smiled. "Souta told me and I told Rin and she told Sesshoumaru and he, for some reason, told Miroku and he told Sango and she told Ayame and she told Kouga and--"

"Ok, I get the point!" Kagome didn't want to know about the long list of people in this chain of secret plotters! Of all the people--Sesshoumaru?! Gods, she never would have thought! Then again...she never would have imagined him dancing the Chicken Dance...

Anyway... "I'm guessing you and Souta are pretty good friends."

"He likes to talk to me about stuff. What you can't teach me, he does." The hanyou shrugged, thinking nothing of the younger boy's devotion to him. "He's the one who's most excited about us getting married."

"Well, I think it's good he has a new male role model after Dad died. Congratulations--you are officially Souta's big brother!"

"You're a little late, wench. He already calls me Inu no Nii-chan."

"Aww! That's so cute!" Kagome hugged a frozen stiff Inuyasha, overwhelmed by older-sister emotions the hanyou would never hope to comprehend. "My little Yashie is a big brother!"

"Hey, stop calling me that!" _Damn Barbie Girl song!_

The wench had said they were going to record a music video, but he had failed to decipher her hidden meaning: it will be publishable material. She had shown everyone at their lunch table their incredible singing...

Sesshoumaru had yet to stop shooting him pitying looks... He wasn't mentally unstable, dammit!

"Come on Yashie, let's go party!"

"I hate you..."

"Ah ah ah," she wagged her finger at him admonishingly, "no hating before cake is served!"

"Hey, you two bystanders over there!" Rin finally had enough of the chicken dance and marched up to the couple not participating in the day's entertainment. She cast them a half-hearted glare, annoyed that they merely watched people make a fool of themselves, yet made no move to join them. "When in a loony bin, do as the loonies do!"

Inuyasha attempted to free himself from her iron grip. "But Rin! We don't want to--"

"Baloney! If Sessh can do it, then so can you two!"

It was futile to protest...Rin had her way with people...

...no wonder Sesshoumaru was whipped...perhaps literally...

Err...neither Inuyasha nor Kagome wanted to know.

**

* * *

**

"Alright, peeps! We're gonna have a dance off!"

After everyone had their share of degrading songs for the night--ones in which everyone except Mrs. Higurashi danced--DJ Souta deigned it necessary to spice things up. He lived up to his one-day career and donned baggy clothes and tinted sunglasses, and even kept his voice smooth, as though he _wasn't_ just a kid in middle school.

Oh well!

"But it's not the kind you're thinking--I'm talking DDR!" Kagome and Sango groaned while Rin and Ayame cheered--they were DDR fanatics. "Now, the winner get's...the satisfaction of winning!"

Inuyasha scoffed. "What a _great_ prize..."

"That reminds me, we still have to go to the arcade, Sessh. Remember the prize we won from the contest during the Halloween Dance?" Run turned to her fiancé, who leaned against the wall, nodding to her inquiry.

"You guys won tickets?" Kagome asked. Rin beamed and nodded. "Inuyasha and I went there on Monday. It's awesome, trust me!"

"Cool! I can't wait to try it out!"

"Everyone's been raving about it for weeks," Ayame piped up, grinning as her emerald eyes brightened in excitement, "and my little wolfie is taking me next week."

"Ayame!" Kouga shouted, having heard her stupid pet name for him. "Calm your ass down!"

"_Oh_, it's calm, Kouga..."

"No comment."

Mrs. Higurashi soon brought out two DDR dance pads and laid them in front of the large LCD television in the family room. With a friendly smile, she then left the room, dragging a protesting Gramps along with her. He wanted to dance with Rin and Ayame again...

Sesshoumaru and Kouga were merely glad to see him leave... They looked like pair of evil witches about to start cackling alone in a dark corner.

Anyway...

Souta took a few seconds to hook the game up prior to facing the others. "Ok, it's girls vs. guys. Since it's Sis and Inu no Nii-chan's--" he had to pause when Kagome abruptly broke out in a fit of "aww's" at his name for Inuyasha, "--birthday, they're up first."

"What?!" Inuyasha flushed, gaping at his 'little brother' in shock. He had no clue what DDR was or even what those odd looking mats were for! Was he supposed to sleep on it?! If he went up there now, he was going to lose to the wench! It would ruin him! "No way in hell!"

"It's not hard, Inu no Nii-chan!" Souta attempted to assuage the hanyou, smiling at him honestly. Kagome still had stars in her eyes in the background... "All you have to do is match the arrows on the TV screen with the ones on the dance pad using your feet. Here, I'll play the preview."

The raven-haired boy shifted through the options in the menu screen and played the preview for a confused Inuyasha, who was accompanied in Confuzzled World by Sesshoumaru and Kouga. They blinked as they caught on to the object of the game, and they gradually understood what they had to do.

It still seemed pretty difficult, though...

"Now that we all know what we're doing, let's dance!" Souta grinned and beckoned Kagome and Inuyasha to choose their mats. The hanyou immediately took the one on the right, sticking his tongue out at his fiancée.

The miko, however, took control of maneuvering through the menu, and was in the position to choose their song. She sifted through the various music selections until she found the perfect--and her favorite--one: Butterfly.

"Oooh, Kagome! Pick the heavy version!" Why was Rin so hyper today? Perhaps she had shared Sesshoumaru's 'revitalizing' coffee this morning...

Yet she complied, nonetheless. Hey, she might not like it, but she was good at DDR. _Let's see if my fiancé can handle it. _"Ready, Inuyasha?" The miko turned to him only to smirk in pre-victory.

He returned it zealously. "Hells yeah."

_Ay, iyaiyai_

_Ay, iyaiyai_

_A-a-a iyaiyai_

_Where's my samurai?_

After the brief intro, the arrows came in at full speed--thank god Inuyasha had good reflexes! He was hanging in there, while Kagome mastered the moves with a smile. Neither of them had missed an arrow yet, getting perfects all the way. Souta conceded that his sister was secretly a fanatic like Rin, and his inu brother was...well, he had demon advantages!

_I've been searching for a man_

_All across Japan_

_Just to find, to find my samurai_

_Someone who is strong_

_But still a little shy_

_Yes I need, I need my samurai_

If Kagome tried hard enough, she could relate the lyrics of the song to her and Inuyasha, in a sense that is. He was strong, but still a little shy...he wasn't a samurai though, but a damn good fighter. Oh, what the heck! She was too busy moving her feet in tune to the beat to think about him!

Now she was blushing...

_Ay, ay, ay_

_I'm your little butterfly_

_Green, black, and blue_

_Make the colors in the sky_

_Ay, ay, ay I'm your little butterfly_

_Green, black, and blue_

_Make the colors in the sky_

Up, down, right, up, down, left, down-right, right-left--gah! It was enough to make him nearly trip on his own feet! Inuyasha concentrated on hitting the arrows at the correct time, but as the song progressed and sped up, it became increasingly hard! And the wench did this with ease!

Down, left, up, up, right, left, left, down, right, down, left--he officially disliked DDR!

_I've been searching in the woods_

_And high upon the hills_

_Just to find, to find my samurai_

_Someone who won't regret_

_To keep me in his net_

_Yes I need, I need my samurai_

Naturally the girls were rooting for Kagome while the guys cheered Inuyasha on; all except Sesshoumaru of course who noted his brother lacked fluid movements. The family room was filled with wild roars, sugar-high people--ahem, Rin--and a madly dancing couple facing off in an ultimate game of success: DDR.

At some point, however, Inuyasha messed up while Kagome still had a perfect streak. He became so frustrated that he stomped on all the arrows without even glancing at the screen, snarling at the stupid dance pad while he shouted at the piece of crap. He hated it! His reflexes were great, but dammit--the song was _too_ fast!

And why the hell were there so many arrows?!

_Ay, ay, ay_

_I'm your little butterfly_

_Green, black, and blue_

_Make the colors in the sky_

_Ay, ay, ay I'm your little butterfly_

_Green, black, and blue_

_Make the colors in the sky_

"Kagome is the winner!! WOOT!" Rin and the rest of the girls high-fived the panting raven-haired teen. The guys shook their heads at the failure of a hanyou they were graced with. Heck, he was still furiously stomping on the dance pad, even after the song ended.

"I swear this piece of shit doesn't work! It doesn't WORK!!" Inuyasha growled and cursed the makers of DDR while his fiancée fleetingly praised them. Yup, they were at odd ends.

"No, little brother, you just lack finesse." Sesshoumaru brushed back his luxurious locks of silver hair behind his ear and rolled his honey eyes, pushing the agitated hanyou off the dance pad. "Watch and learn."

Inuyasha crossed his arms and huffed. As if the pompous bastard could do better than him! "Keh! More like watch and claw my eyes out."

"Yay! I'm gonna win you, Fluffy-kun!" Rin spared him a cheerful grin before choosing the song they were to dance off to. In the end, she chose an upbeat, heavy-version one: Moonlight Shadow. "Don't hurt yourself trying."

"Hn." He didn't need to issue a challenge for it was already won--by him.

And two minutes later...

"It's a tie!" Souta clapped his hand since it was the first tie between two people he had ever seen in his entire life! Both Rin and Sesshoumaru received the same scores! "Wow, I wish I was as good as you two! You did great for your first time, Sesshou-aniki!"

"Kawaii! You're so cute!!" Kagome bear hugged her brother, ignoring his pleas petitions for the right to breathe. "I love you _sooo_ much!" Everyone stared at the gone-crazy-because-my-little-brother-is-adorable miko.

Moving on...

"Piece of advice, brother," Sesshoumaru lazily glanced at the peeved hanyou, who still couldn't believe the silver-haired immortal had not failed miserably and instead received an A grade. "Finesse. Get some."

"Shut up with the finesse crap! You looked like a freakin' ballerina!"

"Mhm, and you looked like monkey trying to break dance."

"...?"

"Exactly."

* * *

**A/N: SHORTENED!**


	25. Proper Proposal

**A/N: ELLO!**

* * *

**Oh My Gods! 25**

* * *

After everyone attempted to master DDR--Miroku had surrendered to his lovely opponent while Kouga failed to even step on one correct arrow at the right time--it was finally time to cut the cake! Inuyasha and Kagome stood behind their huge cake while everyone else stood around them, waiting for Mrs. Higurashi to be done taking a gazillion pictures.

All the demons swore they were permanently blind afterwards...

"Three, two, one..." Souta stood beside his mother, counting down for the annoying happy birthday song. However...in contrary to what Kagome believed he and the others would be singing... "Happy birthday, you're starting to get fatter!" Kagome gaped--what was going on?!

And she wasn't fat!

Inuyasha only glanced at his backside, and couldn't help but wonder if people thought his ass was fat...

"Happy birthday, what have you done that matters?" Miroku didn't know what they've done in their lives, so he shrugged in tune with his lines. Yes, he loved _increasing_ self-esteem...

"Happy birthday, your life's so sad it's funny!" Rin looked happy about it, too! Her whole face was composed of a beaming grin possessing the power to blind people with its brilliance!

"Happy birthday, your life is a waste of money!" Although Kouga would've hoped to put an end to a certain hanyou's life and save money... Inuyasha growled, but inwardly conceded that sometimes, he wished he would disappear...like now.

"Happy birthday, soon you'll be in love with pink!" Ayame and Rin were definitely sniffing high lighters together...

"Happy birthday, you're not yet legal to drink!" Sango wished she was legal; she could use some vodka right about now, especially since Miroku couldn't keep his hands to himself. She twisted the appendage, reveling in the groan of pain she heard from him...

Sesshoumaru was readily spreading Sadism...

"Happy birthday, you'll be suffering child birth if you don't think!" Mrs. Higurashi emphasized 'suffering', and Kagome winced. It wasn't fair that Inuyasha couldn't get pregnant!

_Then again..._ She glanced at her fiancé, who stared back at her with horrified golden amber eyes. A smirk curved her lips. _He'll be suffering in _other _ways... _

Whoah--when did she decide they were having kids?!

"Happy birthday, one day you'll be living with your cat!" Gramps let everyone know just how much he detested birthdays with his scowl... Hmph, and he was forced to endure life with a big, fat, _lazy_ cat, too!

"Happy birthday, I'm so hungry I might kill all you with a bat." Sesshoumaru didn't even try singing his lines; he was too busy staring at the delicious, creamy cake in front of him. It smelled heavenly...sweet...tantalizing...it was insanely large for less than twelve people...but...

"That was..." Kagome struggled to find the right words to describe the...birthday song she just heard. "..._revitalizing_..."

"Keh!" The blush on the hanyou's cheeks revealed what he felt about the song. It narrated a very, deep, soul-searching story about his innermost feelings, one in which he struggled to find the inherent philosophical meaning of life.

The poor puppy miserably failed.

"Anyway, Sesshoumaru is right! We're all hungry, but you first have to blow out the candles! Don't forget to make a wish!"

Inuyasha stared at the candles on the cake after Mrs. Higurashi's joyful declaration, and raised an eyebrow. There had to be an insane number of candles on it... Kagome merely shrugged and started to blow out the candles, soon followed by Inuyasha, who in the meantime contemplated a good wish.

Eighteen candles and a bunch of plastic plates later...

"This cake is the path to Nirvana!" Miroku's navy blue eyes widened as he took the first bite of his vanilla cake, savoring its divine taste. "It must have been sent by the holy Buddha...he must favor me..."

"Oh be quiet, Miroku," Sango chastised, rolling her hazelnut eyes, "you were kicked out of the monastery because you couldn't control _certain_ desires--ahem, groping the nuns. I doubt Buddha even remotely _likes_ you."

"Ever the pessimist, Sango, sheesh." She didn't have to crush his heart! For a second he had believed himself enlightened! Gods, the misery of his human, immortal life!

But everyone did agree that the cake possessed supernatural powers and had put them all under a spell--in seven days, they might all turn into jars of frosting and cake batter. Either that or Mrs. Higurashi was a terrific baker...

Nah, they'd go with the cake from outer space.

_Ding dong! _

"I'll go get it!" The matriarch of the house stood from her seat on the family room coffee table and strode to the shrine's entrance.

Meanwhile, Sesshoumaru and Rin viciously fought for the last piece of cake--they were obsessed! He snarled at her, and she returned it by snapping her jaws at him. They had yet to break free of a stalemate when Inuyasha calmly walked over, stole the piece of cake from his brother's plate, and plopped it into his mouth.

"There, problem solved." And he went to sit back down next to his fiancée as though he hadn't just pissed off two _very_ dangerous people. But before they could plan Inuyasha's very painful death...

"Hey, Kagome! I hope I'm not too late."

Everyone faced the family room entrance only to see...

"Yuka?"

Kagome felt like fainting.

**

* * *

**

_What is she doing here?_ There was no way someone could've invited her--wherever Yuka was, Ayumi and Eri were sure to follow. Heck, and after Rin's little episode with Eri--she had kept herself from laughing after her dorm mate recounted the story--she doubted any one of her friends would have come.

But Yuka did.

Kagome sighed and massaged her temples, leaning heavily on the kitchen counter. She had retreated to the solitary kitchen in order to think about her latest problem: Yuka. _I know she wants something. She's acting like the perfect friend out there, and she hasn't even glared at Inuyasha yet. What should I do? _

Her fiancé detested Yuka's existence. She surmised something had happened between them behind her back, but Inuyasha refused to elaborate. The guarded expression that took hold of his face once Yuka had shown up was enough to tell her the bitch had hurt him. Kagome couldn't say she hated or disliked Yuka, but no one harmed Inuyasha in any shape or form and expected her to merely stand by.

Not even someone who used to be her closest friend.

Perhaps it was wrong of her to think like this and maybe Yuka's jealousy was justifiable. It had been quite sudden when Inuyasha stepped into her life and controlled her emotions, even though he had no clue of it. She had basically abandoned the people who stuck with her ever since her childhood for new friends she hardly remembered.

She and Yuka never had a rocky relationship. They always told each other every single little detail of their lives--in a sense, Kagome was closer to her than either Eri or Ayumi. However, then Inuyasha came...and Yuka immediately disliked him... She had taken the hanyou's side, of course...the person she only recently met...

So...where did her loyalties lie?

With her fiancé...or her best friend?

"Kagome...?"

The raven-haired teen blinked and turned around, coming face to face with the object of her thoughts. She walked into the kitchen and leaned against the counter beside her, sighing as she gazed at the tiled floor. "So, you're eighteen already. I can't believe it. Hmph, you were always the youngest out of me, Eri, and Ayumi."

Kagome couldn't help but bitterly wonder if Yuka planned to discourage her from marrying Inuyasha again. "What are you doing here, Yuka?" She decided to cut to the chase.

"I want to make amends." Her blue-gray eyes shifted to face her best friend, whose eyebrows furrowed in confusion. "I've been a total bitch to you, Kags. That Rin girl was right; your business isn't mine, even though I only want what's best for you."

"...are you serious...?" Kagome was having trouble accepting what she just heard. She had never known Yuka as one to apologize for something she believed was correct.

"Completely. I miss hanging out with you. I mean, Eri and Ayumi are great and all...but we were always the closest," Yuka reiterated with a friendly smile on her face. "I'm not saying I'm abandoning the other girls, but I want to join your little group. You guys seem fun to hang out with!"

_Yeah, but would everyone else accept you?_ The miko doubted it, especially Inuyasha. _How am I supposed to go up to them and say that Yuka's going to hang out with us?_ She wasn't trying to be mean or selfish, yet the girl would stick out like a sore thumb.

Seeing the look of doubt crossing her friend's face, Yuka sighed again. "I'm sorry, Kags, for causing you a lot of trouble and insulting your...fiancé. I do care about you...and we tell each other everything. You trust me, right?"

Her tone of voice...for inexplicable reasons, sent chills running down her spine. It was a bad omen...her instincts were warning her about Yuka. No, she was just being paranoid; Yuka had a big mouth, though she was harmless.

"I...I _do_ trust you, Yuka..."

"Remember when we used to tell each other every single thing?" Kagome smiled and nodded. "Well...you would tell me if something..._weird_ is going on in your life, right?"

_Something weird? What does she mean?_ "What are you saying?"

Yuka shrugged. "Nothing, really. I just want to know I have your trust like you have mine. I want us to be BFFs like before your Inuyasha dude came in." The miko inwardly admitted Yuka at least attempted to restrain from adding disdain for him in her voice.

"Do what you want Yuka," Kagome alas stated, though fixed her chocolate eyes intently on the grinning teen beside her, "However, if you want to hang out with me, you have to promise to be nice to Inuyasha and our friends."

"I promise, Kagome."

And even after they exited the kitchen and returned to the family room, Kagome still felt like she committed the hugest mistake of her life.

An _irreparable_ mistake.

**

* * *

**

"Inuyasha, why the heck are we out here in the cold? I forgot my sweater!"

"Keh! Quit whining, wench!"

"I'm freezing!"

"You are so fucking annoying! Here!"

"W-What...?"

"Are you cold now?"

"...n-no..."

"Good."

Kagome willed the blush blooming in her cheeks to disappear, but it wouldn't leave her! She closed her eyes and wished with all her might that her body would relax, though it hardly worked! Why did Inuyasha have to be so handsome?! And strong...and muscular...

...and warm...

They were standing outside the shrine home on a chilly, late November night, gazing up at the majestic Goshinboku tree in the yard. The hanyou wrapped his arms around his fiancée in order to keep her warm, but in the process caused her to blush profusely. Not that he seemed to notice...

The party guests were still inside celebrating, this time with various humiliating games like hula-hooping the longest. No one really noticed when the couple quietly left the house since they were anticipating the winner of a dramatic round between Sesshoumaru and Kouga. Hmph, who would win?

It was unpredictable with the dog demon's 'finesse'.

Eventually, Kagome began to relax, and leaned on her fiancé, sighing in bliss. Today truly was the best day of her life--absolutely nothing had gone wrong so far. Yuka was behaving herself, while Inuyasha--for her sake, she guessed--kept his ire to himself. Heck, he had yet to comment on her sudden appearance.

But why the heck did he have to drag her outside?!

They could've escaped to her room...and _do_ things...

Bad Kagome!

"Did you have fun today, wench?"

She snapped out of her peaceful reverie and smiled. "Definitely! I never imagined you guys planning this!"

"What, you think no one cares about you?" Inuyasha snorted, tightening his hold on her. The miko rested her arms on top of his around her waist. "When are you opening your presents?"

"Dunno... Maybe tomorrow; I'm tired right now." She was anxious to see what her friends had gotten her, especially the very lecherous Miroku, but she was overcome with exhaustion. Perhaps she needed to borrow some of Rin and Ayame's bundles of energy... "Did you get any presents?"

"A bunch of 'em." The hanyou hardly knew what to do with them, or why anyone even bothered to give him gifts. Should he burn them? Nah...he'd deal with it. Perhaps he'd just burn Miroku's; knowing him, his gift was far from innocent.

Geez, it wasn't like he needed anything... Well, it really touched his heart that Kagome's family had handed him respective gifts. Hell, even Sesshoumaru grudgingly got him one!

Even though it was thrown at him...

"Happy birthday, Inuyasha."

He blinked. Right, they never exchanged merry wishes. "Happy birthday, Kagome."

_Yes! He called me Kagome!_ It was the best present ever! Yet...she immediately lost her excitement once she ceased to feel his tenacious arms around her. The miko swung around to yell at him about it only to see her fiancé staring at her with unreadable, glowing golden eyes.

Her words died in her throat. _Why is he staring at me like that?_ His eyes were so intense, bearing into hers, searching for answers to unasked questions she couldn't even begin to fathom... She gulped, suppressing a rosy blush attempting to conquer her cheeks.

Hm...and he was hiding something behind his back...suspicious...

"You're sure as hell going to open my present tonight, wench," Inuyasha responded to the inquiring look he received from the raven-haired teen. He then matched her uncanny blush. "I-I hope you like it. I don't really know what you like and all, but..."

"I'm sure whatever it is, I'll--" Kagome's eyes widened once he removed his arms from behind his back, allowing her to catch a glimpse of a small, black velvet box in one of his hands. "--love...it...oh my gods..."

_It can't be what I think it is... Holy mother f-ing tomato gods! He's on one knee! OH MY GODS!!_ Her mouth formed an o-shape at the sight of her arrogant fiancé of all people bending down to one knee in front of her. It reminded her of the first time they met in person, and how he had kneeled before her...

...called her his princess...

Inuyasha smirked and carefully opened the small box, revealing a glittering object that had Kagome clutching her chest--she was suffering a random heart attack! "I know we're engaged already, but--"

"Hold on a second--oh my gods! Ok, now keep going!" She was seconds away from glomping him, dang it! _Coconuts...cows...Mexico...ring....RING!!!_

Thinking about random things to settle her frazzled mind immediately backfired.

The hanyou raised an eyebrow, but heeded her and cleared his throat. "As I was saying, we're already engaged, but this is the human thing to do, so..."

_Trust Inuyasha to make this unromantic..._ Not that Kagome cared, though! This...she had never expected this! She had never asked for it...how had he known about human courting customs, anyway?! _Stupid Souta! WHY DIDN'T HE DO IT SOONER?!?! _

And then the long awaited question came...

"Will you marry me, Kagome?"

Silence.

"Yo, wench? Did you hear me?"

Silence.

"Ok, let me put it in these terms: be my woman, my bitch, my suga mama--"

**"YES!!!" **

"CRAP!"

Kagome glomped Inuyasha, causing him to tumble backwards with her on top of him, wrapping her arms so tightly around his waist that he feared he would stop breathing. And here he thought she had died! He tried to push her away, yet she only snuggled in deeper! Damn!

Finally, after five minutes of abusing her fiancé's right to breathe, Kagome pulled back from him, though it was only to then claim his lips with hers. Inuyasha was caught off guard, but it didn't take long for him to respond. Hey, had he known she would've reacted like this, he might have proposed earlier...

She soon raised her head, interrupting their kiss, and grinned. Inuyasha took the chance to grab his fallen 'birthday present' and offer it once again. "Can I put it on now, wench?"

"Yes!" He slipped the diamond ring on her left ring finger, and she couldn't contain the happy smile that evolved on her face. It was perfect--now she knew why he had asked her such strange questions during their date!

The platinum band was composed of a heart-shaped diamond in the center of two contrasting pear-shaped emerald gems, her favorite because of the color. It all glittered beautifully, even in the little light reflecting the precious jewels, illuminating the creamy skin of her left hand. And the rock was huge--it was perhaps larger than one carat!

People would _surely_ notice it right away...

_Hmph, this proves to Yuka that Inuyasha actually _can_ afford an engagement ring..._ She recalled the time during their mall adventure in which her friend had insulted her fiancé on the basis of his lack of money to support her. _Ha, in your face! _

Inuyasha watched his fiancée's face undergo an evolution of different expressions, and his ears flattened on his scalp, anticipating her overall reaction. He didn't know why the stupid ring mattered so much--they were already engaged. But...as long as she was his, she deserved only the best.

He'd do anything to see her smile so happily.

"You like it...? Because I can always--"

Kagome shushed him, leaning in with an ever present grin curving her lips. "I love it. Thank you, Inuyasha." She gave him a chaste kiss, a brief interlude to what would come _very_ soon... "So, does this mean I can aspire to be a princess one day?"

"Nope."

"But--"

This time it was Inuyasha who tenderly silenced her. They had yet to stand from the grassy ground, and he laid back down, pulling her on top of him again. A content smile was on his face as he softly growled, lulling Kagome into an enchanted realm filled with beautiful rings, a gorgeous hanyou, and many, many silver-haired 'pups'...

Yet, before she fell into a peaceful doze...

"You're already a princess, Kagome. _My_ princess."

And that was all she needed...to finally make up her mind.

Her loyalties lied solely with Inuyasha...

..._her_ prince.

**

* * *

**

_Ring! Ring! Ring!_

Mrs. Higurashi fleetingly cursed the person calling the house phone at the moment. She wasn't done taking pictures of a romantic moment between her daughter and future son-in-law! They looked so cute together...she almost cried. _Izayoi would have killed to see them like this!_

But...her grandchildren would look even cuter!

_Ring! Ring! Ring!_

"Oh, I'm coming." She sighed--she might as well detach herself from the window and go answer the phone.

The dark-haired woman picked up the cordless phone from its cradle and placed it against her ear. "Moshi moshi, Aya speaking."

"It's been a long time, Aya... I hope you still remember me."

She gasped and nearly dropped the phone due to the way her hands began to violently tremble. The deep voice on the other end, nearly seeming like a soft rumble belonging to a powerful, handsome man she knew well... Mrs. Higurashi had not heard from him in what seemed like ages...

Hmph, she dreamed of never hearing from him again.

"Of course, since I've been expecting you, _Seiryuu_."

* * *

**A/N: OMG! END! LLAMAS!!! SUGA DADDY WHERE ARE YOU?!?!?! WHO IS MY BABY'S DADDY?!?!?! I don't even know who the Mommy is cuz it ain't me...damn. **

**Sooo...OMG! Who is Seiryuu and how does Mama Higurashi know him?! Hint: it ain't Kagome's Dad--he's dead. Seiryuu is an important character... Anyway, when is Kagome gonna figure out that she loves Inu and vice versa? O.O Do Sessh and Rin already have their happy ending? What in the hell is Yuka planning?! Will Kagome's Grandpa ever get to dance with Ayame and Rin again? **

**Nah, Sessh and Kouga would kill him... **

**And yes, Seiryuu is the name of the blue dragon in Fushigi Yuugi, or the Mysterious Play. He's kind of the bad guy. But no, in this story he is nothing like that Seiryuu. **

**WHY IS MY HAMSTER CRYING?!?! Nah, I don't have a hamster! She got pregnant with like a million kids and I forgot to feed them and they ate her. Literally. Sucks balls--no wonder my childhood is so traumatic. **

Next chappie:** Rin's birthday! And Inu witnesses something VERY horrible that triggers childhood memories! Plus, it's Sessh's day of confessions! WOOT! **

**REVIEW! OR THE LLAMAS WILL GET YOU!!! **


	26. Suppressed Memories

**A/N: 'ELLO CAPTAIN PLANET! WHAT?! YOU HAVE RABIES?! YOU INFECTED ME?! NOOOO!!!**

**TODAY'S MY BIRTHDAY! I'M GETTING MY PERMITY TOMORROW! WOOT! **

**Anyway...**

**Wow, I got wonderful reviews last chapter! THANKS A LOT GUYS! IT MADE MY DAY/WEEK/BIRTHDAY! Keep it up! **

Disclaimer:** I don't own Winnie the Pooh, or any of the Inu people. I own my dog. And the **Tablecloth of Destruction** is credited towards **DX Fan**! THANKS FOR YOUR GREAT IDEA! **

WARNING!** Events in this chappie may...um...anger some of you animal lovers out there. But trust me, every one has a happy ending because I'm a sappy, corny person at heart! Despite my psychotic weirdness and sadistic streaks...**

PuppiesAreAdorable:** I have to get back to you on your review! Geez, this week has been so hectic for me I have like no time to do anything! So, if you want, you can continue the role play and I'll get back on track after today! I gotta go watch me a movie about a baby being possessed by its mother's dead husband's spirit... O.O **

**Enjoy the chappie! **

* * *

**Oh My Gods! 26**

* * *

Rin was in love with Winnie the Pooh...so much that she wanted to marry him.

Pooh bear, Winnie the Pooh bear...

It was her favorite song... She decided she was going to visit to Pooh Land and kidnap the object of her affections--all she required was a jar of honey and rope. Yeah...she'd kick Sesshoumaru off their bed and let Winnie the Pooh sleep with her...

She'd be warm all night long...

This is what a half-awake Rin was pondering on an early Monday morning: abducting Winnie the Pooh. Her obsession with the bear ran deep; she had pillow shams of him, pajamas, slippers, plates, shirts, underwear... Pooh Bear had been her savior in the orphanage, the one thing she looked forward to everyday--she used to wake up extra early to watch the show.

She smiled at the thought of kidnapping him, as though he was actually _real_.

Heheheh...

In her foggy mind, they were frolicking in a garden of honey, about to be married...um, _forced_ into marriage on the bear's part. Ah, their children were going to be adorable...

...and then she'd eat them.

Well, _her_ Pooh Bears solely ate honey, so shouldn't they taste like it, too?

Rin's lips curved into a satisfied smile. "Mmm...Pooh Boor...our kids taste like honey..."

"I hope eating children isn't a secret fantasy of yours."

Her cinnamon eyes popped open, and she groaned in annoyance, desperately wishing for her fiancé to disappear and allow her five more minutes of sleep...or dazing about eating her and Winnie the Pooh's children. Either was fine with her.

"Sessh...go back to sleep..." Rin yawned and curled under the warm comforter covering he torso, yet growled once it was snatched away. She glared at the damnably sexy dog demon decked in dark blue satin sleeping pants standing beside their bed, comforter in hand. "Give. It. Back."

She made sure to enunciate each word clearly incase his pea-sized brain failed to register her annoyance.

Though, he shook his head defiantly. What a merciless, sexy bastard! "You have to get to class. Besides, you shouldn't be angry on your birthday."

"Then don't _make_ me angry!" Right! Today was her birthday--she was finally eighteen! Wonderful...her day of celebration was on a school day...gods, she wanted to sleep!

"Get up," Sesshoumaru firmly stated, leaving no room for argument. His fiancée had no other choice but to comply, even though she first grumbled about what an ass he was.

He was right, however; she only had an hour to get ready for her first class of the day, as much as she would love to skip it and stay in bed. The dark-haired teen sighed and slowly sat up on her queen-sized bed, groggily rubbing the sleep out of her eyes. It was then that a solid object wrapped comfortably around one of her fingers nearly scratched her eyes out.

Rin furrowed her eyebrows in confusion--she didn't sleep with jewelry on, especially not rings. Hmph, did she even own a ring? "What the heck...?" She stared at her left ring finger, and her mind went blank.

An _engagement_ ring materialized out of nowhere onto her finger...

It was a finely crafted piece of jewelry, without a doubt. A classic round diamond sat in the center of two princess-cut sapphire gems on a simple platinum silver band. Rin couldn't keep her eyes off of the attractive ring on her finger, but shifted her gaze to lie on her fiancé, who took a seat beside her on their bed. He seemed aloof as always.

"Sesshoumaru..." Rin was breathless with restrained joy. The fact that he even _thought_ about her to purchase...dear lords! "Did you...was it you?" Who else would it be?! Of course it was him! But her brain refused to process anything!

"Would you care to elaborate?" His golden honey eyes remained glued to the 'engrossing' business magazine he was now intently reading. "Hn...the stock market crashed again and Riyo Explosives went bankrupt. Interesting..."

"R-Ring...on finger...you..." Her hands were trembling in excitement! She needed a yes or no answer from him _now_, dammit! _Oh my gods, oh my gods, oh my gods--OH MY GODS!_

She was seconds away from morphing into a psycho fan girl!

"Oh, that?" The demon god finally glanced at the glittering object, momentarily admitting that it was so brilliant it should be considered holy. He merely shrugged it off, however, acting as though he barely cared. "It certainly wasn't me. Winnie the Pooh probably did it."

Had she been talking in her sleep again...? Crap! Rin wished her dreams weren't so weird. "Stop playing around!" He was taking this all too lightly! "Why...?" She had never asked for a ring, not even hinted towards it...and suddenly, it popped out of thin air!

Sesshoumaru shrugged once more. "Now people know you're mine." Figured it would be due to his possessive canine nature. "Happy birthday." At least he was kind enough to mutter it. He wasn't singing the song, though.

"Aren't you supposed to propose?"

"...no."

"Why not?"

"Proposing means you have a choice. You _will_ marry me. Period."

_Geez, can someone say control freak?_ "So...we're getting married?"

"Weren't we to begin with?"

"This is serious, Sessh--I have a _ring_ on my finger." She snatched his magazine out of his hands, grabbing his full attention. "Maybe to you it means nothing, but to me it means _everything_."

"Hn." He made barely decipherable sounds when he didn't know how to respond, apparently.

"Before I can accept this, I have to know your intentions."

Rin refused to wear this supremely gorgeous ring if it only meant her fiancé possessed a large amount of money. She couldn't bear wearing it if he merely bought it to outshine the one his younger brother presented to his fiancée on her _birthday_, too--the two demon gods were extremely competitive by nature.

Sure, he already clarified that he had no intention of divorcing her soon after their marriage...

But...

...was he alas taking into consideration her human heritage? Was this a sign that he was finally accepting her as a weak mortal woman not nearly as eloquent and skilled as a demoness? Engagement and wedding rings were _mortal_ customs, after all.

Or perhaps Rin was reading his actions incorrectly. _At least Kagome knows Inuyasha cares about her and vice versa. At least she knows their future together isn't as bleak as a lifeless forest. So when Inuyasha gave her a ring symbolizing their engagement, she accepted it without doubting his feelings. Sesshoumaru is another story. _

Sesshoumaru sighed and faced his expectant fiancée, having anticipated her inquiries before she voiced them. Today should be marked in history as his day of personal confessions and sounding totally unlike his normal, proud self.

Yup, his overbearing inner demon was on vacation for the holidays...

_That is the only reason why I'm doing this_, the dog demon mentally amended. Either that, or his inner demon met its soul mate and felt it trivial to intervene any longer. _Hm..._

He stared into her glittering cinnamon eyes, which failed to restrain her hope and barely contained anxiety. Mistakes weren't a part of Sesshoumaru and he wasn't about to make one now. He was always one to seize what he desired... Hell, he knew what he desired at the moment _and_ for the rest of his life...

"Rin," he began, his voice deepening an octave unintentionally, though it made Rin shiver in delight, "you're already bound to me in every single way except carnally. All that is left is actualizing the ceremony, which I will initiate after our wedding."

"What ceremony?" Sesshoumaru ignored her questioning gaze; he wasn't explaining. "Fine, leave me hanging. But you _are_ aware I aspire to be a mother as much as the next girl does, right?"

"Of course."

"Hellooo--anybody home? That means I _want_ kids!"

"And I understand." He believed he made it clear with his former statements, sheesh.

Rin snorted and crossed her arms. "Are you sure about that?"

"Positive."

"Then we won't be married for long. I'd say...five years or less." And she used her fingers to do the math so it wasn't wrong! Yay for kindergarten addition!

"...?" He quirked an eyebrow in response. What was she trying to say?

"Poor Fluffy-kun," Rin sighed in dismay, shaking her head when he alas didn't comprehend her meaning. "Obviously I can't have my seven billion kids with you."

Ah, _that_ was what she meant! "Sure you can't--you'll eat them. And I can't afford seven billion pups. At least settle for a million." Gods, he'd have to sell his kingdom! Not only that, but who would babysit them when he wanted 'alone time' with Rin?!

"I'm serious! Human plus demon equals _hanyou_. It's a simple equation!" The demon god never ceased to assert his loathing for half-breeds--how could he not recall that?!

_'Listen, half-breed--my heirs will be immortal purebloods. Don't forget that.'_ And she never forgot what he icily declared to Inuyasha a few months ago...

Apparently, Sesshoumaru was thinking along the same lines and growled low in his throat. While mentally berating humans and their damn emotions--and how Rin made him feel guilty all the time--the dog demon reached across the bed only to carry the rather guarded teen into his lap.

She remained indifferent as he wrapped his arms around her waist, her back to his bare, chiseled chest, yet lost her composure once his lips settled in the crook of her neck, pressing lightly into her sensitive flesh.

The teen bit her lip. _This reminds me of the morning after we met, when he was kissing my neck in his sleep. Mmm...it stills feels good... _

Hmph, and just like last time, once he nipped her neck ever so lightly with his fangs, it reeled her nerves and hurled them on a pleasurable high. Any and _every_ muscle in her body relaxed and ceased to move as she leaned on him, enjoying his ministrations, though not understanding _why_ he was assaulting her neck in the first place.

But it felt really, **really** good! Sooo damn good...gods, she couldn't wait until their honeymoon!

And it _was_ an exact repeat of _that_ fateful morning seeming like ages prior!

"Rin..." Sesshoumaru's lips were millimeters away from her ear, caressing it with his warm, tingling breath while he spoke in a husky whisper, "you felt it, didn't you?"

Was he referring to how merely a brief nip at her 'sensitive spot' rendered her speechless and immobile, or how her emotions--including pleasure--heightened and became more in tune with his body? Or how she felt like they were wrapped tightly in a coil allowing them to connect mentally, physically, and spiritually?

In that brief relapse, it was as though they ceased to be two separate entities and joined together as one. It sounded terribly corny, but it was true!

She couldn't...it was...he...indescribable...

Her world shifted back and forth in only one second...

The dog demon took her silence as a plea to explain her transcendental feelings. "It's our bond, my Rin," oh yes, his and _only_ his, "our Bond of Mates." It had always been in tact; in his sleep a few months back, his instincts and inner demon noticed it.

Denial had kept him from contemplating the matter...until he realized...

"As long as you are their mother, our pups will be nothing less than perfect in my eyes."

...Rin was _meant_ to be claim by him and no one else, though not because of his possessive nature.

But because...he desired her--mind, body, and soul--just as much.

Rin wanted to cry. She wanted to cry out to the world her happiness, but she was in too much shock to move a single muscle. Gods! Sesshoumaru was probably taking some drugs behind her back and was currently zoned out--but did she care?! No!

He just...he just admitted something _very_ important...

...implied what she deemed impossible...

"Well," her lips curved into a beaming grin as she lightened their intense moment with her jovial tone of voice, "I'm gonna have to tell my pimp I'm someone else's ho. But, Sessh, if you ever decide to cancel our engagement, I'm still keeping the ring!"

There was no way it was coming off her finger now! She'd glue it on if she had to!

"I bought it for you, anyway. It's yours, unless you want _me_ to wear it for you." And he would, too. "Oh, and _please_ inform your 'pimp' that you are now _my_ ho; but he has _great_ replacements--my poison claws."

"Hell no! I need ma money, Fluff-dawg!" Rin grinned and turned in his firm hold, wounding her arms around his neck as she hugged the life from him. "Fluffy-kun, you _do_ care!"

Why had she taken to calling him Fluffy-kun?! "I have a sneaking suspicion that Winnie the Pooh is your pimp... You truly _are_ insane--he charges less than I do an hour." It was all business to him...

Rin laughed. "I _am_ sane!" He raised an eyebrow at her incredulously. "Ok, maybe just a _little_. And if you kill Winnie the Pooh, I will make sure Lil' Fluffy can't give me any 'pups'." Her fiancé gulped. "Anyway... Thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you--thank you!!!"

Sesshoumaru barely knew why giving her a much needed engagement ring was such a big deal--or his uncharacteristic admittance--but he accepted her excitement, nonetheless. He could learn to live with Rin's unnerving bouts of happiness.

_Hn...perhaps shopping with Inuyasha and that boy, Souta, a month ago hadn't all been a waste of my time... _And then Rin showed him how thankful she was by planting her lips on his, delighting his senses with her sweet taste and tantalizing vanilla and lily scent.

He growled in protest when she pulled away and jumped off their bed, most likely to prattle to Kagome about their identical rings and definite futures. Those two were inseparable lately... _Note to self: go shopping for Rin more often. _

It kept her happy and, most importantly, _away_ from him...

**

* * *

**

"This is fucking insane!"

"Kouga, please--"

"NO! I'm sick and tired of this shit! **TIRED OF IT!!" **

He was having a mental breakdown--literally. His veins threatened to pop and his claws itched to tear into his face and rip his eyes out. Hell, he felt like shredding those uncaring assholes to bits! How _dare_ they tell _him_ to calm down!

At this point, he was going to rip his hair from his goddamn skull! Gah, he wanted to make himself and anyone around him **bleed!**

If he wasn't going crazy, then what the fuck was happening to him, dammit?!

No...he was on the edge of a killing field...

Bloodlust consumed him... It was either kill someone...or kill himself.

Ayame gazed at the raving wolf demon in deep concern and empathy. She knew what he was going through--she'd be lying if she didn't feel the same way. Kouga ceased to listen to anyone, however: not her, Miroku, or Sango. He needed to reason with himself, she supposed.

His frustration and anger had led to these frightening turn of events. He was to be handled with caution...or he'd lose all self-control and drag any one of them to hell with him.

Miroku sighed, his handsome face withholding an uncharacteristic grim expression. His dark blue eyes followed the furiously pacing wolf prince in front of him, savagely growling at an unknown enemy. Sango sat beside him on their apartment's living room loveseat, indifferent to the pain revolving around them every minute of their lives.

Their future was bleak...

...but the ones living in the dorm across from them had the bleakest.

"Kouga," the ex-monk carefully said, his voice as deadpan as his expression, "you agreed to it when the opportunity was presented. You consented without any qualms."

"Damn you, monk!" The demon god shouted, turning to him with crazed azure blue eyes. He viciously growled as he restrained himself from strangling his 'friend'. "I know what I fucking did and I regret it! This life is hell! It. Is. **HEEELL!!!"**

"Look, my love," Ayame was next to take a shot at assuaging his blazing fury, "you're not the only one suffering. We all are! But you can't torture yourself--"

"No, you're all torturing ME!!!" **BAM!** Kouga glared at the damn coffee table he had kicked, wishing it would burst into flames and swallow him whole. "How can you all sit there and do nothing while the whole world is crumbling right as we speak?! We can be doing something to prevent all the shit that's going to happen but we're fucking **not!" **

"_They_ told us not to, Kouga, remember? Or were you too busy ranting and raving like a terrified little wolf to have paid attention?" Sango's darkened eyes revealed her exasperation with his tirade. They narrowed when he furiously reeled at her.

"Now you listen to **me** you fucking deceiving bitch--"

"_Don't_ overstep your boundaries, wolf, or you and I will have serious problems." Miroku steadily glared at the wolf demon, daring him to continue babbling nonsense. "The past repeats itself. Their fate was already chosen, and they could do nothing more than assent. The only one in denial is you."

The wolf demon threw his hands into the air. "Fuck the past! Fuck fate! I am Kouga! I am the _Prince_ of Enma! I am a rank eight demon god! I have all the power in the world, and I'm not going to sit here like you people and watch _them_ suffer again!"

"Kouga, don't even _think_ about it!" Ayame cursed his stubbornness, his arrogance, his--argh! Curse him all together! "Stop being so self-centered! Do you think I want to live knowing what's going to happen to my closest friends? No! But what can I do about it?!"

"_First_ of all, we can stop acting as though we have no memory of what happened and--"

Ayame stood up in a rage. "And do what?! Tell them that we already survived the events of the future?! Tell them that becoming a king also means to die?! Tell them that the only reason they're alive is to suffer, suffer, and suffer a-fucking-gain! Hold yourself together, dammit, and **think** for once!"

Kouga heavily panted, staring at the emerald-eyed demoness contemptuously. Yet, he refrained from commenting again and began to pace around the living room once more. He raked a trembling hand through his sable bangs and took a deep breath, settling his raging emotions. It was an impossible feat, however.

It would take a lifetime for him to calm down.

"Rin's eighteenth birthday was yesterday. Everyone is now the age they are supposed to be for the highly anticipated 'time' to come." Sango broke the tense silence that had enveloped the room with a collected and steady voice, and she levelly stared at Kouga. "I need to know if I can trust you to keep your end of the deal."

Hmph, the _deal_. The oath he swore to a hanyou prior to the end--or new beginning--of his life. He regretted ever uttering words of acquiescence. He should've denied their friendship and chosen to have his memory erased. But, dammit, he hadn't.

And now he was stuck five years in the past.

He should be twenty-three years old. But he was only eighteen.

_Again._

"We were so happy..." Kouga said, sounding as though he was speaking to himself and not his three dorm mates, "...and then _that_ goddamn bastard had to ruin everything. I don't understand him. I never will."

"King InuTaishou's older brother is an arcane demon god," Miroku sighed, leaning his head back on a burgundy pillow. "I agree that he set this cruel cycle in motion, using his sons as mere chess pieces in his game of life. Vengeance is an intoxicant to him--he will never get enough of it."

"If it wasn't for him, we wouldn't have to deal with Naraku--_twice._" Ayame crossed her arms, glaring at the beige carpeted floor. "Hell, if it wasn't for him, InuTaishou and Izayoi wouldn't be dead."

Sango nodded. "Yet, we are here in his stead to ensure the protection of his sons and their mates. You guys, _they_ need us--they're vulnerable in their current states! They know nothing of who they really are and what they are truly capable of! We can't afford to lose our minds and abandon them." She glanced specifically at Kouga.

"Which is why we must focus on the present--not the past or future," her boyfriend added while briefly shutting his eyes. "Assuming that Meimori is unknowingly executing his father's wishes and reviving Naraku as we speak, the days left are limited until we reach the next step to the _time_ Lady Izayoi foresaw."

Kouga scoffed. "What do we have to face now? I might as well know so that I can practice my act in front of the others." Yup, his charade of an oblivious, arrogant wolf demon pining for a certain raven-haired miko obviously belonging to a certain hanyou.

Acting was tough, especially when he was forbidden to speak of impending events.

"If Miroku and I are correct," Sango began, facing her friends with grim eyes, "then Yuka is currently planning ways to prove Sesshoumaru and Inuyasha's immortal identities. Things start to go downhill from there. "

Ayame smiled wryly. "Yup, and now we're going to need a new coffee table."

**-XxX- **

Inuyasha glared at his self-satisfied fiancée, crossing his arms and twitching his ears in annoyance. She walked in front of him with an overly chipper smile adorning her face; though, he'd rather believe it was a result of her cryptic sadism. Damn her! The last thing he wanted to do was take a stroll in the fucking city filled with shit-smelling cars and a damn crowd of people following him wherever he went!

But _nooo_, the wench couldn't stand to be alone! She _had_ to drag him out of bed and force him to accompany her, as though it was his undying wish to walk in busy Tokyo streets! They could've borrowed his bastard brother's car--it took him a while, but he attained a driver's license--yet, of course, the wench just _had_ to feel like walking today.

Grr!

"You know, if you keep glaring at me like that, I'm not paying for your lunch."

The hanyou snorted, glowering at the human teen tilting her head back at him. He was still content with treading behind her instead of next to her. "Keh! Why the hell did you have to drag me along?! I'm hungry, I'm tired, and most of all, my nose is gonna explode!"

Millions of distinct smells were bombarding his senses at the same time, dammit! The wench couldn't empathize because she didn't have his sensitive canine nose!

"Come on, like you don't have any Christmas shopping to do." Kagome shook her head, smiling to herself. Her irritated fiancé rolled his eyes, though she dismissed it. Oh well, he was the one being tortured, not the other way around!

"I don't know why we even celebrate this 'Christmas' crap."

"I dunno, either. It's an American holiday that most Japanese adapted--we give presents, set up Christmas trees, decorate houses, and other stuff." The miko shrugged. "I'm glad that we have a two-week vacation because of this. No other school in Japan can claim to have Christmas vacation."

"Yeah, pretty much." Even Inuyasha had to consent. Two weeks of no classes were two weeks of no homework! Well...then there was his literature project...whatever.

"Oh my gods--look! There's a sale in Harajuku! What?! Seventy-five percent off on hoodies?! Hurry, Inuyasha--that green hoodie is **mine!** AH! That hussy with the miniskirt _better_ not touch it or I'll purify her ass!" Since her hanyou wasn't moving fast enough for her tastes, the miko ended up grasping his hand and forcing him into a fast jog alongside of her.

All the while, Inuyasha stared at their linked hands. He knew she only did it to make him run with her, but... The feel of her warm, slender fingers intertwined in his...just thinking about it caused his inner demon to hum in content as a blush rose in his cheeks. It was the first time they held hands like this...he didn't mind doing it more often, actually...

And the best thing was, Kagome never let go, even after reaching the store.

**

* * *

**

The rest of their shopping trip was mostly uneventful. After she purchased her green hoodie--the 'hussy' watched it disappear right before her eyes--Kagome hauled Inuyasha into various stores not of his liking, fussing over clothes at fifty-percent-off and similar sales.

He wasn't sure what he was supposed to be doing; should he purchase presents for his friends?

Hmm...

In the end, he chose to copy his fiancée, if only not to feel left out. First he shopped for Rin; she was currently obsessed with Winnie the Pooh, so she wasn't hard to shop for. Next...um...he'd get back at Miroku for giving him a freakin Kama Sutra book on his birthday! The nerve of him!

Inuyasha's face had been permanently red after he read the first two pages of the book...yes, his curious mind forced him to read an extra page...

But he still didn't know what to get for Sango. And Sesshoumaru was the hardest--what the hell did that bastard like, anyway?! Well...both Sango and Sesshoumaru adored coffee...perhaps they'd each enjoy a coffee maker?

It allowed them to have espresso coffee whenever they pined for it...hmph, now they wouldn't be so cranky.

So that left Mrs. Higurashi, Souta, and...Kagome's grandfather had gotten him a present--some weird, ancient relic he took one whiff of and handed to Buyo--so he _had_ to return the favor. For 'Mom', he purchased a lovely--and expensive, dammit--wind chime for her house, and Gramps would love it if he attained a pair of sacred prayer beads from the immortal realm...

...but what should he get Souta?

"Hey wench, what sort of stuff does your brother like?"

Kagome blinked and glanced at her fiancé, who suddenly decided to walk beside her from their latest store-hopping adventure. He stared back at her with big, inquisitive golden amber eyes, and she stifled a giggle. Inuyasha had the cutest expressions ever! He was her life-size puppy!

"Hmm...Souta loves Dragon Ball Z, but he probably has everything involving it, so I wouldn't recommend that category." Actually, shopping for Souta was not very easy. "Now that I think about it, I don't really know. I'm just getting him a gift card for a video game store he likes."

"Are you sure there's nothing else? Anything at all?" Inuyasha was skeptical of 'gift cards'. How the hell could someone enjoy being given a piece of plastic?!

"Souta is obsessed with animals. I think he's aiming for a puppy this year; he says Buyo needs a companion to get him off his lazy butt." Kagome shrugged, glancing at the numerous bags she held in her hands. "Maybe we should head back--my fingers are becoming numb."

"Keh! 'Bout time!" _A puppy, huh?_ The hanyou mulled over this new fact. Souta loved animals--no wonder he admired his 'dog brother' so much. _But where can I find a puppy? _

Hmm...Christmas was in a few days...there was still time for him to ponder it.

The couple trekked towards their boarding school, fleetingly cursing themselves for not acquiring a car and making the trip easier. What possessed Kagome to suggest walking to and from school?! At this point, she might call Sesshoumaru to come pick them up--Rin would force him if necessary.

The idea was very enticing, especially since they only just arrived at the forest bordering the city and Imei Academy--it was still another fifteen or twenty minutes until they reached the school. The miko seriously felt like collapsing, and she was about to stop and whip out her cell phone until she noticed the absence of her fiancé.

She blinked and spun around, only to see him standing before the entryway of an alley some few feet back, gazing at something with a blank expression on his face. If she didn't know any better, she'd say he was witnessing an atrocious deed--his pale face and lax hands proved her theory.

And it was then that she felt _it_. Gods, it clenched her heart...paralyzed her muscles, hitched her breathing... She felt like she was being strangled! It was a horrible, dark feeling, yet so entangling and powerful...it was a finely spun web that clung to her and would not let go no matter how much she pleaded.

She hated it...she wanted it to go away! Why wouldn't it go away?! W-What...what kind of monstrous thing was it?! A feeling so bleak and lonely...incapable of compassion and devoid of kindness... It left her weak in the knees with an aching heart and soul as well as a spinning mind.

For a second, Kagome felt lower than scum.

She felt like...she felt like she didn't deserve to be on this world...to have ever been born...but she knew it wasn't her own feeling. No, this detested and petrifying sentiment was not hers to bear. It was originally someone else's...

A lump soon settled in her throat and threatened to suffocate her as her chocolate eyes widened, her hands drifting to her chest only to fist into the soft fabric of her lilac sweater. Now she understood perfectly... Perhaps _it_ came to her through her Bond of Mates, but its origin hardly mattered...not when he...dear lord...

What _was_ she feeling?

"I-Inu...Inuyasha..."

All Kagome knew...was that her hanyou was suffering...

...and it was killing him inside.

**

* * *

**

He couldn't understand what he was seeing right before his eyes. The image was not correctly perceived by his brain, and his body was therefore in complete shock. His shopping bags laid entirely forgotten at his side while his surroundings faded into a dark nothingness, laden with voices mocking him...excruciating pain igniting his nerves...

And the tears that washed away the grime on his pudgy cheeks...

_"Stupid half-breed! Did you think just 'cause you're a prince you can get away from us?! Idiot! You're not like anyone else--you can never fit in! Why? 'Cause you're a freak!" _

_A five-year old Inuyasha wanted it to all stop--the hatred, the pain, the taunts. Gods, why wouldn't it stop?! The group of three human boys barely listened to his protests, and he wouldn't dare physically defend himself in fear of hurting them. The last thing he needed was for their parents to beat him as well. _

_Blood dribbled from his chin and seeped onto his red haori as he tried to lift himself on all fours and crawl away from his torture. His dull amber eyes refused to focus on a single object, and his haggard body protested so much it was unable to move. A sharp kick to his ribs ended his attempt at a sweet escape. _

_"M-Mom...Mommy...he-help..."_

"Come on, Matsuro! Throw harder! Don't let the mutt get up and run away! It's filthy!"

"Eww! It really needs a bath! We're doing the world a favor!"

"Ha! The thing never should have been born--what a waste of life!"

Inuyasha couldn't force his horrid memories away, not with this brutal scene. A group of three boys no older than nine were... For fuck's sake, they were mercilessly throwing sharp stones at a pup! The puppy couldn't have been alive for more than seven weeks! It was helpless!

Its solid white fur was coated in muck and its eyes were clenched shut as it whined and yipped in pain. He understood the poor thing; being a dog demon he comprehended the speech of most dogs.

The pup was whimpering for her mother.

Gods...the puppy, a female Akita Inu mix breed, was unable to walk...it couldn't even see! Her jaw was too small...fighting back was not an option... She could only whimper for a lost comfort far from her grasp...

How could those brats...? They had no respect for life!

A bloodcurdling growl emanated from within his chest, even though his perk, bristling ears hardly registered the feral sounds. All he knew...all he could see...was a bunch idiot kids punishing a half-breed for his mixed heritage.

All he could see was himself lying in a pool of his own blood...

...just for being born a hanyou.

_"You never should have been born! My Papa said that wretch Izayoi is gonna die one day because of you! I hate you!" _

_"If it wasn't for you, this kingdom wouldn't be so worthless! Who wants a half-breed as a king, anyway?!" _

_"Hmph! I wish you would die right here and now! But we're gonna make sure you never walk again, mutt!" _

_"Please..." The hapless hanyou coughed up blood a couple of times, taking the chance to inhale precious air in between blows to his abdomen and face. "Stop!" _

_He hated how weak he sounded, how useless he was. Sesshoumaru was right--he was pitiful. But he was young--didn't that count? He still believed that someday he would find at least one person who showed him unconditional compassion. He still believed that he was worth loving. _

_Yet...when was the day approaching? How much longer would he have to wait? _

_His head was pounding and by now he was covered in blood. Thoughts were far from coherent in his head and rushed through mind at alarming rates--the world was spinning right in front of him. _

_Once again he needed to be saved. Once again he refused to save himself. _

_Was it wrong to want to protect others before himself? His claws...he never wished to tear them through flesh--mortal or immortal, human or demon. Kindness resided in his heart...but it was gradually dying, killing him inside. It burned him from the inside out, and hope heaved from his stomach once a foot collided with his gut._

_"Ew! He puked!" _

_"Gross! It almost got on my hakama!" _

_"What a disgusting animal!" _

_This...was what kindness and love gave him. _

_Pain._

_"Please stop..." He was silently whimpering for his mother like a broken, preyed-upon pup that had wandered from his pack, curling into a ball to prevent further blows from landing on him. "Just stop..." He willed them away, urged his father or brother to come save him, but it was futile. _

_This was what a hanyou deserved, he supposed. _

_"M-Mommy..." He wished his head was currently on her lap as she brushed strands of silvery white hair from his face...singing softly to him...telling him she loved him with every ounce of her soul... _

_Though it was only a wish. _

_"Make it stop..." _

_Wishes never came true. _

_"P-Please...sto-stop..." _

_Because no one listened to him. _

_"Stop!" _

_Not like they ever did. _

**"STOP!" **

The three boys immediately gasped in response to the furious bellow they heard behind then, and snapped their heads towards the source. A hanyou with a powerful aura stood at the entrance of the alley, his eyes covered by his unruly silver bangs, his lean body tense as he viciously growled. The boys gulped and stepped away from the mangled puppy lying prone on the cemented ground, dropping their rocks and raising their hands into the air in submission.

Inuyasha hated the innocent looks on their faces. He absolutely **hated** it! Why were children so...so...argh! He didn't have a word for it! _Nothing_ could describe the horror he had lived and seen!

Were people so simple minded to allow this to occur? Did mortals not discipline their little brats?! They were a danger to society!

Who the **fuck** would be so cruel to beat a helpless puppy because it was a mutt?!

Fuck these nine-year olds--they should all burn in hell! There was no excuse for such an atrocity!

"You..." His voice came out in a deep, bestial growl, making the boys flinch in terror. His eyes were still shielded by his bangs, but if they weren't, any one would recoil at the pools of blood red that would instantly devour them. "How _dare_ you..."

The urge to sink his claws into flesh was overwhelming, but he couldn't lay a hand on these fools. Argh! What was he supposed to do to relieve the agony enveloping his heart?! The hanyou flexed his claws in warning and as a way to settle his growing bloodlust...anger was slowly consuming him...

...anger and hatred that had gradually amounted since his childhood...

And he could barely suppress it.

* * *

**A/N: END! **


	27. A Brother's Revelation

**A/N: ELLO!**

* * *

**Oh My Gods! 27**

* * *

_...Recap..._

"You..." Inuyasha's voice came out in a deep, bestial growl, making the boys flinch in terror. His eyes were still shielded by his bangs, but if they weren't, any one would recoil at the pools of blood red that would instantly devour them. "How _dare_ you..."

The urge to sink his claws into flesh was overwhelming, but he couldn't lay a hand on these foolish children. Argh! What was he supposed to do to relieve the agony enveloping his heart?! The hanyou flexed his claws in warning and as a way to settle his growing bloodlust...anger was slowly consuming him...

...anger and hatred that had gradually amounted since his childhood...

And he could barely suppress it.

_...End Recap..._

"Inuyasha!"

Kagome's voice sounded distant, as though he was drowning in a wide lake and his ears were bombarded by water pressure. He couldn't understand what else she said. Her lips were moving, yet...

And suddenly, she disappeared--he was unable to track her. Her scent vanished right under his nose and was replaced by coppery blood. His vision consisted of a solid, thick wall of crimson while his surroundings ceased to connect him to the real world.

This was far from a killing field, however...

...but he wasn't transforming into a full demon, either.

_**Kill them, Inuyasha...kill those who have wronged you...show them who you are... They're whelps who need to be punished...no one should hurt **_**you**_**, Prince Inuyasha...**_

Abruptly, a deep, lulling voice in his head whispered to him, told him to end the lives of those who had hurt him. He shouldn't allow those fools to rise up against him, right? The rumbling voice was not familiar...it wasn't his own...whose was it? Where did it come from?

_**Spill their blood, my prince...for your claws yearn to drip in blood...the smell is invigorating, isn't it? Yes...fill your senses with it... Your precious blood is all the sweeter...**_

Yet...it was right. Inuyasha _needed_ to bathe his claws in blood, sate his raging nerves and furious thirst. A smirk crawled on his face... At this point, he didn't care _whose_ blood was shed. Hell, the desire to rip into anything was incredible! It was...it was amazing--refreshing!

He'd start clawing at _himself_ to relieve this massive desire...he'd shed his own blood...

Yes...and he would enjoy it.

_**Just do it...hurry! Kill them...shed blood, any one's blo--**_

However...a pair of hands then grasped his and he ceased to hear the enchanting voice.

Instantly, the crimson cleared away to reveal the alley and his fiancée's relieved expression. His nose no longer registered blood but her sweet scent, soothing his senses and drawing a contented hum bordering on a growl from him. It was as if her touch dissipated the malicious voice that had slowly taken over his mentality...purified the evil in his soul and balanced his youki once more.

He was plainly shocked--what the hell just happened to him?!

"Kagome..." Inuyasha was caught between hugging her, kissing her, or just standing there, but he soon remembered _why_ he was in this predicament in the first place. His golden amber eyes widened as he glanced around the alley. "W-Where's...?"

The boys weren't in sight.

"I called the police on them; they made a run for it. They didn't get far, though," she replied solemnly, and her eyes drifted towards the bundle of sordid fur across from them. "But the damage has already been done."

The miko refrained from commenting on his momentary loss of sanity, much to his relief. Yet, he could smell the stench of death lingering in the air...the pup was not yet done fighting, but the scent was still there waiting to prey upon its fragile body...

Heh, he was a demon god--he constantly defied death.

Inuyasha knelt beside the immobile puppy and nearly retched. It was mangled, broken... If he were anything but an immortal god, he'd say the whelp was hopeless.

"Don't die on me, pup...hang in there..." _I did, and so can you. _

Kagome joined him and noted the pup's labored breathing. "She doesn't have much time left..."

He didn't need to be told twice. His right hand settled over the unconscious pup, and he concentrated on his core of energy, withdrawing from it in order to heal another living creature. The appendage soon glowed a soothing gold with the odd red spark here and there, enveloping the pup as well as he worked thoroughly to rescue her.

His fiancée watched intently and braced herself for the outcome.

Soon enough, he reached the limit of his expanse of energy and recoiled, feeling immensely weak with limbs seemingly composed of jelly. Inuyasha panted and blinked away the spots clouding his vision--now was not the time to faint, dammit!

However...the pup's paw twitched. Her nose twitched. Her furry tail moved.

And her milky blue eyes slid open...

"She's blind!" Kagome gasped, biting her lip in response to the moisture gathering in her eyes. _How could any child torture a _blind_ puppy?_ That made their act all the worse! _I thought kids were supposed to love animals!_

She could only wonder what kind of upbringing those morons had...

Inuyasha said nothing, but his fiancée could tell he was lost in his own thoughts. Though, she never expected to see a shining trail of...his cheeks were...

He was...crying...

_'You think being a hanyou is a piece of cake? That just because I'm a prince, everything for me is easy? Well, dammit--__**IT'S FUCKING NOT!!**__ I used to get bea--' _

The memory of their first heated argument sprung before her eyes. She instantly filled in the gaps the hanyou had purposely omitted and her lips parted in gape. _He used to get beaten... _This whole ordeal managed to tear open old wounds...he was reminded of his painful childhood...

_He used to get beaten..._

Oh gods...

"Inu..." Kagome trailed off and shook her head, sighing to calm herself. It wasn't the right time to bring her conclusions up to the surface. He wasn't in the mood to talk about it, or how he nearly sunk into a killing spree. Later. She would ask later. "Maybe R-Rin can finish healing her..."

Even so, it was impossible to keep the tremble out of her voice...

Inuyasha nodded after a long while, and with an expression devoid of emotion, he scooped the exhausted pup into his arms prior to standing on his feet. He swayed, though Kagome steadied him. Healing the puppy's entire body, as well as her bones--it involved multiplying and healing billions of cells--had taken a heavy toll on him.

But...his haggard eyes soon met his fiancée's. The hanyou didn't bother wiping away his tears either, which surprised Kagome--she imagined that he would hastily hide the evidence of his inner pain and brush it off with a 'keh'.

Yet...his vacant amber eyes stared _through_ her, unseeing and unfocused.

It terrified her because he was in his own haunted world where she couldn't reach him...

...and she could do nothing about it.

**

* * *

**

It was three o'clock in the morning and Sesshoumaru couldn't sleep. He wasn't very tired and sleep was a luxury for demons, not a necessity, so it didn't really bother him. But Rin was sleeping soundly beside him...he rather not rouse her especially when she had used a lot of energy earlier in the day. Therefore, he silently stood from their bed and headed towards the living room, bringing along his latest business magazine to read for the next...three hours or so.

No big deal.

However, on his way to the living room, he noticed a light turned on in the kitchen. After further inspection, he saw that Inuyasha was also awake. The dog demon sighed and decided to keep him company--he could fathom why sleep eluded the hanyou.

"The wall will crumble if you continue to glower at it, Inu-whelp."

Inuyasha kehed, though not with his usual arrogant vigor. He hardly minded that his brother took a seat across from him at the kitchen table. "What are you doing up?"

"Obviously I woke up to waste my time here with you." The hanyou rolled his golden amber eyes, which were conspicuously...red and puffy. "I couldn't sleep."

"Too much coffee, bastard?" It was uncanny how many cups of the addictive dark liquid the immortal consumed in a day... Geez, he suffered through withdrawal if he was deprived of it!

"Perhaps not enough," Sesshoumaru replied with a smirk. Rin would kill him if she heard him; she miserably failed to wean him off of it. The teen detested coffee, yet still managed to retain energy to be a psychotic maniac. How was she so damn energetic?! "I assume your brooding won't allow you to rest."

"Yeah, well..." A good comeback slipped from his grasp. His tired mind refused to work properly, he surmised. "Hmph, whatever."

"I regret it, you know..."

"Regret what?" Inuyasha cocked his head and knit his brows in confusion. His brother currently wore a pensive expression, as though he was reminiscing about a time he truly felt remorse over.

_What is he talking about?_ There weren't many things Sesshoumaru regretted--heck, was he even capable of repenting? _Did he steal cookies from the cookie jar?_ Ah, _Kagome's_ cookie jar to be precise. She was ruthless when it came to protecting her precious bounty...

The silver-haired immortal sighed and explained with a frown, "This isn't something I want to talk about; more like I want to forget it."

"Ok, so why are you opening your mouth then?" He never asked for him to come over and start spewing crap. Staring blankly at the wall was a good past time...

"Because I feel you should know, little brother, that I regret not aiding you when you needed me the most."

"Huh? What the fuck are you implying?" Inuyasha refused to accept they were thinking along the same lines...no, impossible! The bastard had lived a happy childhood ignoring his younger sibling!

"You know very well what I'm referring to," Sesshoumaru said, briefly shutting his honey eyes to the memories he wished to destroy and bury. "What occurred today made you relive your childhood...how you were beaten behind Father's back...how you never spoke about it..."

"And how in the hell did you find that out?" Inuyasha's tone of voice was vehement.

The older dog demon never gave a rat's ass about him as a pompous whelp. He spent the days glaring at him and wishing him dead. Scorning him and sneering how he deserved all the pain the world.

Well...he received his wish. The hanyou suffered immense pain...pain a child should never bear...

Yet, no one knew this burden except for his mother and she was deceased. No one had the memories to recall the days he spent locked in his room crying his heart out because he refused to endure beatings not only from his 'playmates' but from their parents, as well.

Sesshoumaru wasn't special--he shouldn't know about his early life unless he...

No...!

"You used to spy on me..." Inuyasha's eyes widened as realization dawned on him. "You goddamn **bastard!** You fucking _watched_ me get nearly _beaten_ to death and you did nothing!" What kind of sick motherfucking asshole would do that?!

"This is what I regret, brother." The subject was hard on Sesshoumaru. Even though his expression hardly changed from unemotional, his dark amber eyes revealed his inner struggle with past events.

But his hanyou brother was on the brink of strangling him! How dare he show his face as though it was nothing!

Being an idle bystander and watching an atrocious deed in the act was just as bad as performing the deed itself! What the fuck was he--a damn stick?! No! Sesshoumaru had limbs and claws and power and poison and...and...shit! He could've...the bastard could've spared him incessant grief and pain!

He could've!

And yet...he chose to do nothing.

"I acknowledge the fact that I was in the wrong," _Wow, he's finally admitting he made a mistake, _Inuyasha bitterly thought as the dog demon continued to express his guilt, "even more so when I led you to believe our father always saved you in the end."

His words almost paralyzed the hanyou, but he needed clarification. "I don't understand what you're trying to tell me." _Please don't let it be what I think it is... _He yearned to step off the emotional rollercoaster he was forced on--what he didn't know couldn't hurt.

Sesshoumaru cursed himself for starting this conversation. Hell, he cursed Rin for thawing his frozen heart and allowing these...these _hideous_ emotions to envelop him! He hadn't felt guilt or remorse in _years_ and it was foreign to him!

Well, he began this and he will end it because he was no coward.

_Hopefully._

"After each time you were beaten and passed out, you always awoke in your mother's arms or in your bed. Have you never wondered how that was possible since you were unconscious?"

"I assumed that...Dad..."

"Inuyasha, Father was busy...every single day of our lives, he was busy. The only time we ever saw him was when he trained us." Something in his tone of voice told the other occupant of the kitchen just how much Sesshoumaru despised that aspect of their father.

"So you're saying that he...?" It was difficult to comprehend what his brother was saying. So, all his life...as a young pup...he had wished for his role model, his father...and his hero was a lie. He had loved his father dearly because he rescued him from the people who hated him!

What was he supposed to think now? Was he supposed to detest his father? No, it was impossible.

Sesshoumaru resumed his speech after a short pause. "He never saved you...I believe he knew about your strife with the village children but never had the time to do anything. I made sure you returned home in one piece. I intervened once you were not able to notice me do it."

"_Why_...?" Inuyasha managed to croak, swallowing the lump in his throat. He raked a clawed hand through his bangs and watched his brother sigh in frustration. This conversation was becoming more and more tiresome by the second.

But why had he allowed his younger brother to believe that their father was his knight in shining armor? Why had he even _bothered_ to save him in the first place? He swore Sesshou-bastard had hated him enough to allow someone else kill him!

"Every child needs their father or a male role model at some point in their lives. You were deprived of him when you needed him the most. Besides, after a while it became difficult to watch _my_ brother, someone who shared _my_ blood, struggle for life _alone_. It was pack instinct."

It seemed adequate enough...he could mask his concern for the hanyou while letting him believe their father always came to the rescue. He maintained his charade of hating the half-breed while still coming to his aid in the end.

Perfect...the plan was perfect.

Until King InuTaishou unexpectedly died.

Inuyasha had exclaimed in anger, _"I hate you! You're not my brother! You're nothing like Dad! He always saved me! He made _it _stop! But you...you probably don't even know what I'm talking about. Hmph, comes to show what kind of brother you really are." _

After that...Sesshoumaru despised him even more. The half-breed was an ungrateful mutt! How dare him! If only he knew that their father actually did _nothing_ of the sort and his silver-haired hero was the same brother he hated!

Hmph, the dog demon was not the only one recalling the event that was a turning point in their lives...

"You had your own battles to fight, ya know," Inuyasha muttered, staring blankly at the wooden kitchen table while remembering his brother as a young pup, "you needed Dad, too."

Sesshoumaru's lips pursed into a thin line. He knew what the hanyou was alluding to: his issues with his estranged mother. The fact that Meimori made sure his life was a living hell. How he was constantly scorned by his uncle and was never truly accepted by fellow demons since they perceived his solemn personality as self-conceit.

As they both pondered it, the brothers silently consented that their childhoods weren't very different from each other's. In this way, they related for the first time.

"I came to terms with it. He liked you best, anyway."

"That's not true!" Inuyasha protested, sitting straight in his seat. "Dad always bragged about you! How you're obedient and loyal and--"

The older dog demon shook his head. "My mother, Inuyasha. Father _loathed_ my mother." And he looked remarkably like her, which added salt to the wound. As much as he tried, his father could never stop seeing _her_ in his eldest son.

Inuyasha deflated, knowing he couldn't argue against the somber declaration. He soon broke the tense silence overbearing them. "Well...the past is the past." Dammit, he was getting misty-eyed again! "Let's leave like that--no more regrets, no more pain, and whatever other shit we're feeling."

Sesshoumaru seemed grateful for the change and nodded. "For once we agree, Inu-whelp."

"Yeah, whatever!" The hanyou huffed, though one corner of his lips involuntarily quirked. "So, what inspired you to start blabbing all of a sudden? It's not like you sat under a waterfall and meditated, right? Not even Miroku does that crap and he's the monkiest of us."

_Monkiest? Is he incapable of just referring to him as a monk instead of the monkiest?_ The older demon shook his head. "Rin can only bear me hanyou heirs and I will accept them no matter what. I should at least practice with you."

Wow...Sesshoumaru was admitting that he was...he was insinuating that Rin and him...! _Oh my gods, he's going to take her as his mate! He's going to have pups with her! _With all these new revelations, Inuyasha might start to spasm on the ground in shock! _Holy shit! I'm gonna be an uncle one day! _

"Keh! My future brats ain't hanging out with yours 'cause I still hate you, bastard." _Yeah, I should keep lying to myself. _He knew hate was too much of a strong word to describe their current sibling relationship, as much as it changed in the past ten minutes.

And what future brats?! He wasn't having kids with Kagome!

Err...

"Likewise," Sesshoumaru replied with a smirk. "Your moronitis will infect my pups as a result. I can't let it combine with Rin's psychosis, now can I?"

"Uh huh. I should just stand back and watch you spread your bastard-infected fleas. You disgust me."

"Stop describing yourself, little brother. Seriously, I have pamphlets for puppy school if you want to borrow them. Just so you know, a prerequisite is a stick shoved up your ass."

Inuyasha returned his brother's smirk. "Hey, that means you're ready to be enrolled!"

"I've been attending for months and you've only noticed now? I pity you."

"Yeah, well--!"

"Bark! Bark! Bark!"

The two brothers turned to the kitchen entrance to see a mop of white fur rushing towards them. It was the puppy Inuyasha had rescued earlier, all patched up and sight regained thanks to Rin's incredible healing energy. Though, Sesshoumaru was still a bit peeved that she fainted afterwards...

The puppy with big, glittering sapphire blue eyes stared up at her savior as she sat obediently on the ground, tongue lolling in and out of her mouth. Her ears perked up at the smile he shot her. "Bark! Bark!"

His smile faded once he translated her happy bark to...

...Mama Yasha.

"It seems you've made me an uncle, _Mama_ Yasha," Sesshoumaru commented, smiling deviously. "Hn...Mama Yasha...it suits you."

"Shut the hell up!" A bright red blush blooming in his cheeks betrayed his unaffected appearance. He had tried telling the pup that he wasn't her mother or anywhere near it, but she wouldn't understand! She could at least call him _Papa_ Yasha!

Yet...

...if she thought he was her mother...then he wasn't their pack leader. Dogs formed packs since wolves were their ancestors, and in the pack, one of them was deigned a leader--the Alpha. Usually it was the strongest, most clear and stable canine in the pack.

The highest rank he could be in the hierarchy now was an Alpha _Female_...

The puppy cocked her head at 'Mama Yasha' and turned to an amused Sesshoumaru. He seemed happy, too! Yay! "Bark! Bark!" Oh, his amusement vanished.

"No fair! How come _you're_ the Alpha?!" Inuyasha wanted to be the Alpha, dammit! He didn't want to be known as Mama! "Keh! Stupid Papa Maruru..." It was only because he drove the car that had brought the puppy home! Hmph!

Ew…that meant...the bastard was his... Mama and Papa... Alpha Male and Alpha Female... Ew!

They were _not_ mates!

"It should be Papa _Maru_, without the extra _-ru_." The dog demon frowned and gazed down at the expectant pup. He growled low in his throat as he made the correction known to her. She presented him with a doggy grin after she understood.

"Bark! Bark!"

"Now she made it Papa Momo, Sesshou-bastard."

"Souta would appreciate an _early_ Christmas present. How about I drop her off today?"

"Nope."

Sesshoumaru sighed. "At least I tried."

"Good morning, guys!"

"_-yawn-_ I think the puppy peed on the carpet."

Inuyasha winced--he was responsible for the puppy so _he_ was supposed to clean it up.

Kagome and Rin entered the kitchen, rubbing the sleep out of their eyes as they took a seat beside their respective fiancé. The puppy was excited at all the commotion and ran around in circles...until she noticed her tail and tried to bite it. Well, it kept her busy.

"Has any one made breakfast yet?" Rin sleepily asked, leaning her head on Sesshoumaru's shoulder, much to his covert satisfaction. "I'm so hungry I can eat just about anything..."

"Like your children with Winnie the Pooh?" He couldn't help it--she had the weirdest dreams ever! Except for Kagome's dream about evil dust bunnies and watermelons kidnapping bridegrooms...no one could beat that.

Rin glared at her fiancé. Three in the morning wasn't her favorite time of day. "I hope you know that I can make a weapon out of almost anything. This ordinary tablecloth will transform into the Tablecloth of Destruction--it will whip your ass and smother you to death."

"I already had a taste of the Skillet of Doom, Receipt from Hell, and the Pillow of Demolition--I don't need any more from you."

"Don't forget the Slipper of Death; Kagome lent it to me once."

"..."

"Why the hell do we have a tablecloth if we don't even use it?" Inuyasha stared pointedly at the wooden table in front of him, which was not covered by the dark green cloth Kagome's mother provided for them a week after they moved in.

The poor thing was folded in a neat pile to the side of the table...

"Because it looks nice folded," Kagome said, daring him to challenge her.

"But--"

"Shut up."

"What--"

"Shut up."

"Hey--"

"Shut. Up."

"Keh!"

"Anyway..." Rin poked Sesshoumaru's muscular arm, testing it for comfort. He only stared at her as if she suddenly grew five arms and five noses. "Have I told anyone that I'm starving? Sessh, why don't you make breakfast for us, hm?"

"Hells yeah! I'm gonna eat the table if I don't get food soon, bastard!" Of course, Inuyasha owned a bottomless pit instead of a stomach...

"We're _not_ eating at three in the morning," Kagome firmly stated, earning a round of groans from the two I'm-so-hungry-I-might-eat-the-table friends. "So, what was the topic of conversation before Rin and I interrupted?"

Surprisingly, both brothers swiftly responded, "Sex."

Ahem...

"Um...ok..."

"Geez, you two act like we didn't hear you talking." Rin never noticed her best friend rapidly shaking her head, divulging _not_ to expose them. "Poor Yashie had a bad, bad, bad, _bad_ childhood...like me!" She was half-asleep--cut her some slack!

"I warned you not to eavesdrop on people's conversations, wench!" Inuyasha glared at his fiancée in particular, whom he knew was the leader behind the entire escapade. "Curiosity killed the cat!"

"I'm not a cat and I wasn't curious!" A skeptical glower met her and she sighed in defeat. "Ok, maybe just a _little_. But with good reason! I was worried about you!"

The hanyou smirked. Worrying over him had probably tortured her the entire day. Telling her to stop was like forcing a nicotine addict to quit smoking in an hour. "You have to stop worryin' so much, wench. I'm fine."

"I know that _now_, duh."

"Damn wench..."

"Stupid jerk..."

"Chicken crap!"

"Pig crap!"

"Mine's better!"

"Nah uh, pig crap is worse!"

"Chicken crap stinks worse!"

"Horse crap tops chicken crap!"

"Fuck...now _that_ was a good one..."

"Ok, I'm officially grossed out," Rin yawned, wrapping her arms around her fiancé's torso while snuggling into his side--his eye twitched because he didn't know what she wanted from him. He was terrified of her cranky self... "Kags and I were talking and we decided to hound you--yes you, Mama Yasha--on today's events."

"Rin!" The miko couldn't understand why she spoke at the most inconvenient of times! She wasn't supposed to open her big mouth yet! So what if she was tired and her judgment was impaired--beds were invented for that reason!

Inuyasha merely rolled his eyes. He pushed the past aside so it wasn't imperative for people to walk on eggshells around him--ugh, he hated it, actually. "What do you nosy wenches want to know?" He tried his hardest to sound as though it wasn't a painful subject.

As he mulled over it, he decided it virtually wasn't. Nah, he wasn't going to linger in the past when he couldn't do anything to change it. Onward to the future!

"Nothing really--" Kagome's plan was once again thwarted by a very talkative Rin.

"How you almost embarked on a death rampage. Kags said your aura changed color to black and it felt very ferocious and evil. I think it's cool!" She was nearly falling asleep on her fiancé, so her words weren't very credible.

Sesshoumaru narrowed his eyes and directed his gaze to the surprised hanyou. "Is this true, whelp?" He received a tentative nod. "This isn't good..."

"What do you mean, 'this isn't good'? I'm walking in circles here!" The hanyou god was confused; usually auras were not supposed to change colors unless... Perhaps his balance of demonic, human, and immortal youki was tipped in his demonic favor...?

Like his father had warned in the dream he had a few months ago...

"First let me ask you a question." Inuyasha shrugged and his brother continued. "Was there a voice in your head?"

Kagome faced her fiancé in order to see his reaction, feeling befuddled and shocked. _A voice in his head? Where in the world did _that_ come from? _The hanyou, however, didn't deny it. _Whoah...what the heck is going on here?! _No one told her anything, dang it!

"Are you saying I'm crazy, bastard?"

"Answer me."

"Fine! Yeah, there was. It was a guy with a deep voice, almost like Uncle's. He kept telling me to kill those who hurt me...shed blood or shed my own blood... It was really weird." It was not something he desired to recall--he shivered just thinking of it.

"Cool..." Rin mumbled, completely out of it. "I used to hear voices, too...they told me to kidnap Winnie the Pooh...I ate our children... Mmm...honey..."

Sesshoumaru's eye twitched again, but he ignored her. "I assume you ceased to hear the voice once you were conscious of your miko."

"...um..."

"In other words, after Kagome touched you, did everything become clear again? Your sense of smell, sight, hearing, your mind and the sort?"

"Pretty much."

"Hn." Sesshoumaru refrained from elaborating, though. He abruptly stood up and gathered a dozing Rin in his arms prior to exiting the kitchen. His departures should win a prize for being so brisk.

Poor Inuyasha and Kagome were left with cocked heads and distorted expressions. They didn't understand the dog demon...no one could...or maybe Rin did the few times she was sane enough to tell the world. It wasn't very often, sadly.

But both realized one certain aspect of his strange behavior.

Sesshoumaru knew something they didn't.

* * *

**A/N: END! Very random ending. I just wanted to end the chapter already instead of dragging it out. Hmm...Sesshoumaru has a secret! WOOT! Wow, Sessh, what a nice way to end it for my birthday. I better get my permit tomorrow or else.**Next chappie:** MORE PLOTTING! I wonder what Meimori has up his sleeve... and what's this? EVIL HAS BEEN AWAKENED! And we're moving forward a few months! Next chappie will be set in February to make the 'romance' more realistic! I mean, come on, you don't fall in love in like a day.**

**Sooo...what is Sesshy-kun's secret? Why did Inu start hearing a voice? Who's the owner of the voice? _Now_ do Sessh and Rin have their** **happy ending? When are Inu and Kags getting married? What the hell is going on with Kouga, Ayame, Miroku, and Sango?!**

**::evil glare:: I need reassurance...**

**Unless you were already in love in a past life... O.O**

**WHY DOES EVERYONE HAVE RABIES?!?!?! I HATE YOU CAPTAIN PLANET! I'M CHEATING ON YOU WITH THE THUNDERCATS CREW!**

**If you've read my story, Darkness Within, the Inu voice scene may seem familiar. Geez, I might not ever update that story even though I want to so badly...**

**REVIEW! BECAUSE CAPTAIN PLANET FOUND MY THUNDERCAT LOVER WEARING HIS WINNIE THE POOH PAJAMAS! HE WILL KILL US ALL IF YOU DON'T REVIEW!**

**Which means you won't be getting a chappie on Christmas Eve... ::wink wink::**


	28. Nazupede

**A/N: IMPORTANT! CURRENT TIMING IN CHAPPIE IS FEBURARY! YES WE MOVED AHEAD A COUPLE OF MONTHS TO MAKE THE ROMANCE MORE CREDIBLE! :-D **

**MERRY CHRISTMAS! HAPPY HANAUHKA! HAPPY HOLIDAYS! HAPPY KWANZA! HAPPY NEW YEAR! I HOPE YOU ALL GET DRUNK! :-D I will! LOL! JK!**

**Anyway, thanks for all the reviews! I GOT MY PERMIT! WOOT! **

**This chappie is dedicated to **2008**, my 100th reviewer! HER PRIZE IS IN THIS CHAPPIE CUZ WE'RE GOING TO PORTUGAL! LOL! **

**Oh, I'm getting close to my 200th review mark! To all you new readers out there, if you're my 200th reviewer, you get a prize! The prize is that you get to give me one idea for this story and it will happen no matter what! Your idea can be anything! For instance--everyone goes to Portugal! GO OUT THERE AND REVIEW!**

**ENJOY THE CHAPPIE! **

* * *

**Oh My Gods! 28**

* * *

**SLAM! **

She had to figure it out, dammit!

Insanity wasn't an option--she wasn't fucking crazy! No one could tell her what she saw five months ago was a figment of her imagination! She had witnessed the full dog demon brother of that half-breed asshole use some kind of powers to make him and three other people disappear--she knew it!

For the past two months, she managed to get close to Kagome again, if only to confirm her suspicions by naturalistic observations. She visited her friend's apartment frequently, chatted with her, sat at her lunch table everyday, and even shopped with her and that Rin girl.

Both girls seemed normal--their fiancés were solicitous, however.

_Good._

Yuka glared at her bedroom door, the one she mercilessly slammed, uncaring of her roommate sleeping in the room across from her. She crossed her arms and forced herself to think of ways to expose the truth Kagome was obviously hiding from her. And what was this truth?

She lived with supernatural beings.

The auburn-haired teen was completely convinced those two dog demons possessed secret powers they refused to let publically known. She spotted the elder of the two call upon those powers with her own eyes--it was _impossible_ to start glowing and then suddenly disappear followed by _three_ more people! In a fucking pillar of blue light, no less!

But how was she going to prove it? What was she going to do now that she discerned their real identities?

First she needed to figure out what the hell those two freaks really were...

Then she'd concentrate on tearing Kagome and Inu-bastard apart.

A smirk curved her lips. "I'll rip that stupid ring from Kagome's finger."

"And you say you're not crazy."

Yuka gasped and flung around, only to come face to face with a dark-haired dog demon she _swore_ she had seen before, yet couldn't recall where. His shining silver eyes bore intently into hers, enchanting her, its exotic color hypnotizing her... She shook away the beginnings of a trance.

But damn...he was handsome...

"Ok, who are you and how the hell did you get in here?" She glared at him and glanced at her bedside table. A lamp sat on top of it...and a plan formulated in her head.

He was a step ahead of her, though. "Don't even think about it, pet," he crooned in a rich, deep voice that caressed the sensitive hairs behind her ear. His whole demeanor screamed danger. "My name's Meimori. Well met, _Yuka_."

Shit, he knew her name! How the hell did he know her name?!

Meimori smirked when the human in front of him shrunk as he raised his hand, but he only lightly touched her right temple with the tip of his claw. He traced a path from her temple to her chin, slowly treading closer merely to have her take a few steps back. Soon enough, he had her pinned against a wall--escape was futile.

Just what he aimed for.

"What do you want from me?" Yuka tried her best to keep her increasing fear out of her voice. She actually sounded quite confident and brave; completely opposite of the anxiety coursing through her veins.

This demon held great strength, and he could snap her neck in a split second if he so desired--there was no way she could challenge him. Something about him prevented her from screaming for help or even moving at all...it was like his vibrant eyes placed her under a powerful spell.

Gods, the smirk on his face was so evil she nearly fainted.

"My little pet," Meimori whispered, barely moving his lips, his finger still exploring the silhouette of the petrified human teen, "the hatred burning within you calls to me... I simply adore your abhorrence of my younger cousin."

Yuka was baffled--_he_ was Inuyasha's cousin?! Ah, now she remembered! He was the guy who confronted Sesshoumaru on the night of the Halloween Dance! This demon _also_ possessed supernatural abilities!

"You..." Her blue-gray eyes searched his for a moment and were met by a block of impenetrable ice. "You have powers...you and Inuyasha and Sesshou--oh my gods..."

A glowing orb of midnight blue bordering on raven energy floated on top of his left hand, and Meimori allowed her to view it at all angles, to _feel_ its sheer power radiating in waves. Yuka smiled like a child receiving candy. It was true then...they weren't normal mortal beings! _No_ one could produce an orb of energy, not even the most dexterous demon!

"Your suspicions have been confirmed, correct?" She nodded her head, feeling dismayed once the orb vanished. "Now...what would you say if I told you I'd help you carry out your inner desires...?" His smirk returned. "...as long as you help me?"

_What would I say?_ Yuka inwardly laughed. "I'd ask: what's the catch."

"Hmm...you aren't as stupid as most humans." Meimori momentarily praised the girl's wit. "Nothing comes without a price."

"And what's the price I'll have to pay?"

"Let's see...I'll share with you my cousin's major weakness..." The dog demon's eyes sharpened with malice. "...in exchange for his life."

"You want me to kill him?!" Yuka was many things, but she wasn't a murderer!

"No, pet. You're helping me _capture_ him. I promise you will never have to deal with Inuyasha again, and your best friend will be all yours once more." His deep voice was lulling her into submission, but he lifted her nodding chin, not yet finished with his statement. "However..."

"However...?"

"You must promise not to interfere between him and me, no matter what."

Ha, was he joking? Why would she even _think_ of interfering? Inu-bastard could vacation in hell for all she cared! Yet...the emotionless expression on his face gave no hint of humor. He was serious...just _what_ did he plan on doing with the hanyou?

Yuka's lips slightly trembled when his claw found its way to her vulnerable throat...to her jugular vein... One puncture wound there and she was history.

He was _definitely_ serious.

This dog demon would kill her if she dared to come in between him and Inu-bastard...

That was why she hardly hesitated to respond, her blue-gray eyes determinedly set. "I promise."

Meimori smirked and stepped away from Yuka, turning towards the center of her dorm room. "Good. We shall come in contact again very soon. Have a--"

"Wait!"

The dog demon tilted his head towards her without rotating his entire body, his broad shoulders and long curtain of sable hair making him seem intimidating and mysterious. The human teen behind him couldn't help but gulp. "What is it, my pet?"

_Can he stop calling me that?!_ Geez, she wasn't his lover or sex slave! "I just..." His arctic silver eyes narrowed, and she sighed, releasing her jumbling nerves. "They're going to Portugal."

The mysterious dog demon finally turned to face her. "Elaborate."

"Kagome's mother, Mrs. Higurashi, was sent airline tickets from her cousin in Portugal over New Year's to go visit her, but she can't because Souta and Gramps have the flu. So, Kagome is going in her stead, and Inuyasha, Sesshoumaru, and Rin are tagging along."

It was a coincidence--four tickets were available, so Kagome was making use of them by inviting her friends; Miroku and Sango decided to stay behind even when Sesshoumaru offered to pay for their tickets. _Geez, is he rich or something?_ Probably, since he was sexy enough to be a celebrity.

Well, they were leaving for Portugal right when their two-week winter break in February commenced. _Hm...Portugal...weird country for Japanese people..._

"Perfect..." Meimori purred as his sensual lips curved into a pernicious smile. His pet was accomplishing her tasks very well so far--she hadn't hesitated to inform him of this turn of events. "Surely we can't let them leave without a going away present."

Yuka decided not to question his intentions...

...as long as she didn't have to buy _actual_ presents.

**

* * *

**

Inuyasha was physically ill. His stomach constantly churned uneasily as his head pulsed in tune with his heart beat, and he bit his lip to keep himself from throwing up. He tried to think of reasons as to why he would be feeling this way...but his tired mind produced nothing logical.

Perhaps his sudden sickness was due to his first time on a plane?

No.

The hanyou rolled over on his narrow bed and sighed. It was only then that he noticed he was sweating...he had a fever. Hm, it was understandable. Chills frequently ran up his spine, causing him to shudder while they made his stomach even more uncomfortable.

Gods, and he was currently in a foreign country, no less; Portugal to be exact. Kagome's mother's cousin was a kind woman who was widowed and lived alone with her three kids--each in elementary school. She welcomed the group with open arms and gawked at the engagement ring on her second cousin's finger, as well as the one owned by her best friend.

He smiled remembering the glow on his fiancée's face as she was fawned over.

But it still didn't guarantee them a room together.

Nope. For the sake of her innocent children, Kagome's cousin, Hitomi, refused to allow the two couples to sleep in the same room, just incase certain 'things' occurred in the night. Well, everyone was forced to respect her wishes since they were merely guests in her own home, as much as Sesshoumaru detested being ordered around.

Inuyasha, however, actually missed the wench. Funny how accustomed he was to her presence beside him--her aromatic scent lulled him to sleep even in the most stressful of nights. But she wasn't here, so he suffered alone.

"Fuck..." He bit his lips again and couldn't suppress the whine in his throat. Slowly he curled into fetal position, hoping to push back the powerful urge to puke. "K'gome..."

How the hell was he sick?! He was a hanyou god, for goodness sake! Sure, the flu bug was travelling around, but it wasn't something he should _ever_ worry about! And he was thousands of miles away from known territory and separated from his mate--it was enough to make _anyone_ feel uneasy.

However...if he bothered Kagome now...she would spend the rest of their week in Europe worrying about him. He didn't wish to ruin her first trip to Portugal--a country outside of Japan and in another _continent_. Nah, he could survive the night alone, right?

Fuck it.

He needed her. "Ka...go..." His breathing hitched so he stopped himself from speaking.

The one thing he hated most, hated more than he hated Meimori, was throwing up. The lack of control it warranted terrified him to death--how his body suddenly ceased to process coherent thoughts and decided to act on its own was included. His mother had always told him that if he didn't throw up, he'd never feel better, but dammit!

He refused to stand up from this bed!

And yet...shit...

_At this rate,_ Inuyasha griped in his mind, fisting the pristine sheets beneath him as his head threatened to split open at the mercy of an invisible mallet, _I'll just have to confront my fears. But I can't...I can't do it alone._

The hanyou absolutely _required_ the presence of his mate...of his Kagome.

_Now._

**

* * *

**

Kagome knew something was wrong with her hanyou the instant they arrived in Portugal after their five-hour long flight. Inuyasha's pale face alerted her to it, but she shrugged it off, thinking that being airborne for so long gave him motion sickness.

Yet, he didn't get any better.

He actually pushed aside the ramen she brought along for him! When did he _ever_ ignore his precious, divine ramen?! She wasn't the only one who noticed his odd behavior--Sesshoumaru and Rin also voiced their opinions that the hanyou barely spoke or even complained about the soggy airplane food.

Not a good sign.

She fretted about him the entire night while pacing in her room across the hall from his--her instincts told her to be at his side despite her cousin's wishes. And now, at four in the morning, she decided check on him, all the while conceding that she was a worry-wart.

But she was met with _this_ sight: Inuyasha moaning in agony while curled into a ball on his bed. Her heart nearly thumped out of her chest--the miko rushed to his side and felt his forehead, only to draw back her hand as though it touched fire.

Crap! He really _was_ sick!

"You're burning up!" Kagome's chocolate eyes swept over his form, from his chattering jaw to his clammy skin to his freezing feet. He wasn't in good shape... "Oh no, what do you give a hanyou when he's sick?"

What was he sick _from_ in the first place?! Inuyasha couldn't respond; it taxed on his strength.

_Think, Kagome! _She sifted through her memories, searching for any piece of information that could help her hanyou. Her miko abilities were useless in this situation, Rin's healing energy wasn't for illnesses--would his demon blood even register Tylenol?! _Oh my gods, what should I do?! _

Inuyasha nuzzled the hand on his cheek, seeking comfort as he tried to battle against his own body. Her scent was soothing, and just knowing she was there for him made him feel better, stronger. But...his turbulent stomach was another obstacle to overcome.

And--shit!

His eyes instantly bolted open and he pushed away from a pensive Kagome only to dash out of his guest room like a racer vying for first place. She blinked in confusion, her hand still in the air where it had been stroking the hanyou's cheek. After her brain processed what just occurred, she quickly hurried after him and...

...crap.

Kagome walked into the bathroom and stood behind her fiancé, pausing to sweep his long locks of hair over his back as he vomited his last meal. It broke her heart to watch him trembling, losing all self-control as his body reacted to disperse its malady.

After a few minutes, he stopped and panted. He slowly stood up and rinsed his mouth out in the large bathroom's azure blue marble sink; he for once neglected to shrug off his fiancée's helping hand.

"Are you ok?" Kagome asked, already knowing the answer but feeling like she should say something. He tentatively nodded as she rubbed his back. "Come on, let's go back to bed." _Sorry Cousin Hitomi, but I'm not leaving him alone tonight._

However...the moment she stepped into the hallway dividing the bathroom and Inuyasha's room, Kagome abruptly ceased to sense her hanyou walking behind her. She turned around only to see his dull amber eyes roll to the back of his head before he fell unconscious into her arms, his weight bringing her along with him to the carpeted floor.

"Inuyasha!" The alarmed raven-haired teen wound her arms protectively around the hanyou, though he did not rouse from his prone state. "Dammit! He's too heavy for me to carry!"

She reluctantly shifted his weight onto the floor and scrambled from her post, intent on waking Sesshoumaru to help her. Knocking first wasn't an option; Kagome nearly tore down the door, yet abruptly slammed into a solid object. She glanced up to see a rather annoyed dog demon glaring down at her.

"No time! I-Inu...he...floor...wake...I-I..." She couldn't stop fumbling over her words, so she growled and dragged him out into the hallway and towards the bathroom. "There!"

Sesshoumaru's eyes narrowed as he assessed his brother's peculiar condition. He knelt beside him, checking his vitals and any signs of life. Unlike Kagome, he wasn't in a state of shock. "He's very ill."

"I freakin' know that!" The miko snapped, exasperated. "What are we going to do about it?! _That's_ what I need answered!"

"Hey, what's going on?" Rin walked out of her room since a certain frantic miko disturbed her pleasant sleep. "If you keep making so much noise, Hitomi might--"

**"INUYASHA PASSED OUT!!!"** Why hasn't anyone been driven to insanity yet?! She was on the brink of taking a knife and stabbing herself with it! Kagome shook Rin by the shoulders until the younger teen was dazed. "He. Passed. Out! He. Won't. Wake. Up!"

"Move," Sesshoumaru briskly warned before he strode between the two friends, his brother splayed over his arms. He laid the hanyou back in his bed, conscious of an overprotective miko shoving past everyone in order to be at her mate's side.

"Well?" Kagome prompted the contemplative dog demon prior to gliding a hand across Inuyasha's tepid forehead. "Are you gonna do something or what?" Surely he must be aware of _some_ kind of remedy!

After a tense moment, he replied, "Frankly, there's nothing any of us can do."

**"WHAT?!"**

"Kagome," Rin sat beside her and threw a comforting arm over her shoulder as she murmured with sympathy, "calm down, alright? Inuyasha is strong--he'll get over this trivial illness in no time. You'll see!"

"This isn't normal in the first place..." Sesshoumaru wished he kept his mouth shut when Rin shot him a glare potent enough to decay trees. She was scary...

But it was true--he shouldn't even be sick unless he ate something poisonous! Obviously it wasn't the case!

_Or is it?_ The dog demon mulled over it, so much that he went back to his room to think in peace.

Rin stared after him and wished she possessed a toaster so she could bash his head in with it--toasters were lethal. Geez, he was so insensitive! Here Kagome was near tears and he left the room without a care in the world _after_ crushing her hope! _The nerve of him!_

Oh well, now she had to correct his mistakes.

"I'll fill up a bowl with cold water and get a rag or something to lower his fever. Maybe some rubbing alcohol will wake him up..._if_ I can find it. Should I get Hitomi?" Rin asked with genuine concern lighting her cinnamon eyes.

Kagome inwardly thanked her compassion. "Don't wake her. She won't be able to do much, anyway." The younger teen nodded and quickly exited the room.

Now alone with her fiancé, the miko sighed and laid beside him, pressing the top of her head against his cheek. She sensed something was wrong..._very_ wrong. But...she was rendered helpless. What could she do for him?

Nothing but wait, unfortunately.

**

* * *

**

Kizurei was very confused. So confused that he paced incessantly inside his large room, which was barred from the outside world--he liked privacy, and his room was his sanctuary. Why was he befuddled enough to almost tear apart his sacred bedroom in search of answers?

Meimori.

His brother shared more similarities with their father than he'd actually admit; both of them were as mysterious as a black abyss. One moment, they were conversing about some trivial uprising in a southern village in the Western Lands, and the next, the dog demon asked him for a favor.

A favor! Since when did Meimori ask for things?! He took them first!

Not only that, but the object he specifically asked for baffled him. His twin brother required a nazupede egg: a type of insect, like a centipede only deadlier, solely found in perilous rain forests in the immortal realm. Though, with Kizurei's vast knowledge on the arcane ancient language, he was able to attain it almost effortlessly.

However...nazupedes weren't merely poisonous. Those pieces of craps were terrifying! If someone ate an egg of a nazupede, it was just as bad as an ulcer! The thing only lived for a maximum of ten days, but it left its mark--painfully!

Yet, the nazupede, since it was an immortal insect, possessed abilities of its own. Not only did it make one severely ill, nearly gut-wrenchingly ill...

...it also caused unpredictable fluxation in power.

Meaning, that if immortals--especially the demon god ranks--ate nazupedes, they wouldn't be able to control their energy levels and possibly endanger the lives of everyone within a ten mile radius One moment of anger...one emotion of hurt or desperation...could end the lives of millions of people.

They were like walking bombs; slowly ticking...waiting to explode...

It was the perfect way to inadvertently kill an enemy...

...or awaken dormant power.

"Shit..." Kizurei's lavender eyes widened as he finally realized his twin brother's intentions. He stopped in the middle of his steady pace and gripped his forehead. What had he done?! He indirectly initiated that asshole's plans! "SHIT!!!"

**BANG! BOOM! **

A dark blue energy blast flew past his head and completely destroyed his bureau, and Kizurei glanced up only to discover that he dangling two feet off the ground in the next split second. He stared into the furious golden honey eyes of his younger cousin, and he instantly knew his suspicions on Meimori were correct.

"You will answer my questions and you will answer them regardless." His voice was as emotionless as his frigid eyes, locked in a cold rage that could freeze the molten core of any planet. Sesshoumaru's voice was so soft and deep...it was as though he drawled his words lazily, sleepily...

Gods, he was close to a killing field! Not good!

And then he asked in his deadly tone of voice, "What the hell did your brother do to mine?"

Kizurei found it hard to speak, partially because his throat was being painfully constricted and the other because his cousin was truly formidable. _Damn, he's definitely my father's nephew._ "W-What--"

Sesshoumaru's gelid eyes narrowed into viscous honey slits while one corner of his lips upturned ever so slightly in a malicious smirk. When he spoke again, he left no room for nonsense. "Tell me, my dearest cousin, what your brother did to make mine ill. Tell me...or I will torture it out of you."

His claws glowed a sickly green, and the beginnings of toxic poison pinpricked the dark-haired demon's sensitive throat, causing him to growl in restrained pain. There was no way he could delay a response now.

"N-Nazu..." Kizurei tried to inhale a breath of air, even the faintest intake, but his cousin was merciless. "Nazupede...egg...M-Mei..."

"Nazupede..." Sesshoumaru repeated, testing the detested and feared word of any and all immortals on his tongue. "_Nazupede_." He spat it once more, the name coming from his lips sounding no better than 'whore'.

Kizurei gasped for air once he was finally released, his hands immediately wrapping around his punctured neck. He coughed a few times, and then caught the pensive expression on his cousin's chiseled face. "Inuyasha..." He paused to cough again. "How is he?"

Why in the world would Meimori target Inuyasha, though? Not even in their former lives...he never showed interest in the hanyou! His strife was with Sesshoumaru and Rin--not Inuyasha! What would he gain by harming him...how the hell had he managed to feed a nazupede egg to him, anyway?!

"Not well...far from it." The silver-haired demon god's voice was clipped and still emotionless, but the fact that he travelled all the way to the immortal realm to find out what was wrong with his brother spoke volumes.

Kizurei wondered how much the two brothers changed over the years in order to give a damn about each other... Well, it was actually a few months to them in the mortal realm.

Sesshoumaru then left without another word--he merely vanished. Kizurei wasn't surprised, but he did know one thing.

_Meimori isn't getting away with this. If I don't kill him, Sesshoumaru surely will. And this time, he will be successful._ It was why their master always warned them to refrain from underestimating the still ice that frequently encased the land and rivers.

Ice was a silent killer... It crept on stealthy feet--one little touch, a mere chilling caress can force even the mightiest god to amputate his own limb. But no one had the ability to predict when ice would strike until it was too late.

And Sesshoumaru was the perfect embodiment of ice.

**

* * *

**

_"HOUJOU! Look out!"_

_**BOOM! **_

_"Looks like you're not dead yet...I guess I'll have to try harder." _

_**BOOM!**_

_"STOP INUYASHA!" _

_**BOOM! **_

_"Inuyasha!" _

_"Sesshoumaru! You're just in time the festivities. Which ones? Well, first off, we've both awakened." _

_**BOOM!**_

_"Kurayami..."_

Inuyasha bolted upright on his bed, heavily panting, his crazed eyes frantically searching for a certain raven-haired miko in order to ease his rapidly beating heart. She appeared a few seconds later, slamming open the door to his room as though a monster was chasing her. Relief immediately washed over him--she was alright.

Thank gods!

"Inuyasha! What's wrong?!" The raven-haired teen came up to his side, noting his pallid face and heavy breathing. _Is he sick again? Please not again!_ "Should I--"

He grabbed her in a split second, rendering her speechless as he buried his nose into the crook of her neck, his arms wrapped tightly around her waist almost as if he was too afraid to let go. Slowly she regained her senses and rubbed his back and the rear of his head to assuage the sudden racking of his body.

She knew instantly that he was resisting the urge to sob.

"Shh, it's ok. I'm here with you...shh..." The hanyou was terrified! What kind of nightmare was able to scare him like this?!

Her heart twisted in her chest once she heard him whimpering like a broken puppy. She only wanted to hold him in her arms forever, protecting him from his nightmares and always providing him with reassurance. Lately he was accepting her comfort instead of arrogantly shrugging her off or grumbling that he was fine.

Clearly he was _far_ from fine.

And the fact that he was here, in her arms, proved it.

Gods, she could feel his pain again--this time however, guilt was deeply rooted into it. _Why is he feeling guilty?_ The miko hardly knew what to make of the situation. _Not unless he had a nightmare of murdering someone... Nah, I doubt it._

"Inuyasha..." Kagome pulled away so that he would face her, but the demon god merely shook his head and drew her back to his chest again. "Come on, everything's alright now. I'm here, and you're not sick anymore... _Please_, just look at me and tell me what's wrong!"

After a while, he composed himself enough to be able to pull away without his pulse speeding up alarmingly. Though, his eyes were shielded by his tenuous bangs as he chewed on his bottom lip to keep from making his frazzled emotions audible. Kagome's chocolate eyes softened into a warm, smooth meld before she cupped his cheek, forcing him to meet her caring gaze.

Hell, his eyes looked tortured! They were vibrant due to the pain and anxiety slowly consuming him... He _was_ feeling guilty--so much that he was beating himself up over it! What happened in the hell hole also called his subconscious mind?!

"I-I...I..." Inuyasha was close to hyperventilating again. To prevent another state of shock from occurring, Kagome slapped him, earning herself an incredulous, angry glower. "What the **hell** was that for, wench?!"

"Are you back to normal yet?" She bit back a relieved smile and raised her hand, as though to slap him once more. "If you're not, I can always--"

He grabbed her wrist before she finished her sentence, warily pushing her hand away from his face. "Keh!" Finally, he was his arrogant self!

_Great, now it's going to be difficult to weasel information out of him._ "Are you going to tell me what happened now?" Kagome held her breath in anticipation.

Inuyasha opened his mouth to speak, but...

_GRROOWWL! _

...his stomach greedily interrupted.

"I'm starving, wench--did Hitomi cook breakfast yet?"

She was tempted to slap him again for good measure. How come he called her wench but referred to her older cousin by her given name?! Her name was only three short syllables: Ka-go-me! She was definitely only counting three!

_Ok, Kagome, calm down. At least he's not sick anymore. I rather have him stuffing his face and calling me wench all day than watch him throw up again. _The memories of the night before flitted before her sight and she shuddered. The worst thing about it had been her helplessness...how she could only watch and do nothing to aid him...

Until...Sesshoumaru suddenly reappeared with some sort of tonic which he forced down the unconscious hanyou's throat. It worked miracles because his fever instantly lowered and he hadn't thrown up since! _What was that medicine? I need some of it just incase... _

Hey, if it saved her days of bed confinement due to the flu, then Rin better tie Sesshoumaru down and whip the information out of him!

Err...bad mental image...

Inuyasha cocked his head once his fiancée's face paled, and he furrowed his eyebrows in concern. "Hey, wench, are you sick, too? Maybe you should stay in bed."

Kagome's eyes slowly shifted to bear daggers into his. He instantly shrunk under her intense glower. "Do me a favor--shut up."

"Keh!"

**

* * *

**

"What the hell is that?!"

"_-sigh-_ It's a Ferris wheel, Inuyasha."

"It looks more like a moving death trap...is it a government weapon?"

"Sessh, the Portuguese government wouldn't try to kill its own people."

"I do not trust your words, Rin, for _that_ is a weapon I would love to possess for such a purpose."

"HOLY SHIT! Those people are going to die! DO SOMETHING!"

"INUYASHA! WAIT! It's **ONLY** a rollercoaster!"

"A rolling toaster?! Are you saying they're going to _toast_ to death?!"

"Hn...an even _more_ interesting weapon...perfect..."

"They **aren't** going to die--period! And it is **NOT** a weapon!"

"But, wench--"

**"NO!"**

"At this rate, Inuyasha is gonna blow up this place, Kagome might be arrested for murdering her fiancé, and Sessh will use a Ferris wheel as a genocide weapon. Wow, and we only just arrived!"

Kagome didn't know why her cousin Hitomi suggested they visit the closest amusement park in Lisbon, Portugal and just drop them off without another word. She was left accompanied by a homicidal dog demon, a confused hanyou with a superhero complex, and a psychotic human who saw nothing wrong with this picture!

What was she supposed to do with them for the rest of the day?! Everything was in Portuguese--just because she had cousins living in Portugal didn't mean she immediately knew the language!

Thank gods some of the signs were at least in English or she'd have a couple of gray hairs by the end of the day...

"Ok, here's the plan. We spend half of the morning in the Feira Popular, which is where we are now, we eat lunch, go on more rides, and tomorrow, we'll visit the Oceanarium in the Parque das Nacoes. Everyone understood?" She hoped she pronounced those terms correctly...it sounded like Japaguese to her...

Hm, Japaguese should be considered a new language...

The miko wasn't surprised when her fiancé crossed his arms skeptically. "We're going to the ocean? To do what?"

"No, it's called an _oceanarium_. It's like an aquarium."

"Umm...water?"

"_-sigh-_ It's a display of fish and other marine animals."

"Why would I want to--"

"Don't ask, just accept."

"So much for nonconformity!" Rin chirped, excited and bright as the sparkling sun above her. Quite the opposite of how stressed Kagome was... "When are we leaving to Japan, by the way?"

"The day after tomorrow. We'll be back in time before the end of Winter break." Their lovely winter break consisting of two weeks off in February! The dean in Imei Academy was a candidate for Japan's Next Top Tyrant, but he really loved vacations!

Rin nodded in comprehension, also thinking along the same lines. Soon enough, she brightened at the thought of enjoying her winter break in a warm, sunny climate.

"Let's hurry up--I'm dying to try out these super cool rides!" Her fiancé, joined by his brother in a split second, stared at the 'rolling toaster' with blank looks on their faces. Rin revised her plans for extreme rides. "We should start with one that's easy for the guys or else they'll be freaked out for the rest of the day."

"I wouldn't mind the latter," Kagome huffed, still peeved at a certain vexing hanyou.

Rin chose to ignore her bleak friend. "Sooo...who wants to ride on the carousel?"

And surely enough, she was met with two identical stares.

"What the hell is a carasoul? Does it suck souls from people?" Who else could it have been other than a severely confused Inuyasha?

Sesshoumaru merely ushered the hanyou away from two annoyed teens before they were _both_ murdered and their butchered bodies were dumped in the middle of nowhere...

* * *

**A/N: ENDO!**


	29. Vacationing in Portugal

**A/N: HI!**

* * *

**Oh My Gods! 29**

* * *

Sesshoumaru was seconds away from impaling his skull with his sharp claws, but only after he did the same to his uncannily delighted fiancée. She seemed happy to be on this godforsaken 'carasoul' thing! It was ridiculously slow, little mortal children were staring at him, and he looked ready to kill someone!

His pony didn't even go up and down like Rin's! It stayed in the same place!

He was cheated on and lied to, dammit!

"Faster! Faster! Faster!" Rin was grinning like a madwoman as she bounced on her white-spotted black pony, rattling its reins as though it would actually budge from its metal pole. He glanced up at her in pity...and then realized he should pity himself for wanting to marry her in the first place.

A wood fairy that must really like weird people probably possessed him. He might have to contact Miroku to conduct an emergency exorcism on him. Yeah, like that'd solve his life problems.

"Sessh, you don't look like you're having fun!" The cinnamon-eyed teen gazed at him with one of her spectacular smiles radiating on her attractive face. He momentarily conceded that this torture was worth her beaming at him. "Even _Inuyasha_ is having a better time than you are."

"That's because his horse actually moves up and down." Sesshoumaru glared at his vexatious stationary metal pony, wishing it would melt under his seething glower. It didn't. Damn. "I hate these vile--"

"No--don't insult the mighty power of carousel ponies! They'll kidnap you while you're sleeping and torture you in Pony Land! Why else do you think My Little Ponies exist?!" Rin admonished and then rubbed her pony's muzzle, cooing softly at it. "It's ok now; Sesshoumaru is a big fat meanie and he doesn't know he hurt your feelings."

His eye twitched. He wasn't going to comment, though. _I definitely need that exorcism._

Up ahead, Inuyasha was swearing--in Japanese so the little brats surrounding him only heard gibberish--at his horse. Why? Well, for one thing, it was a goddamn pedophile!

"You piece of shit donkey! You think you can take me to bed with you? I bet you like half-demons, huh? Bastard! I'm Kagome's! Take that, Crappy the Donkey!"

Perhaps she should be grateful her fiancé had morals and wouldn't cheat on her with anyone...or anything. Perhaps she should be laughing at this random weirdo like the several other kids around her--yes, she'd pretend she didn't recognize him.

But she merely felt that not even a metal pole was hard enough to crush her hanyou's thick cranium.

Gods, was he an idiot or what?!

"Inuyasha," Kagome grumbled under her breath, and the hanyou's head immediately snapped in her direction once he noted barely suppressed annoyance laced tightly in her voice. "One: it's not a donkey, it's a pony. Two: It's _not_ trying to rape you. Three: SHUT UP!"

"Wench, don't you see it?! It keeps moving up and down--"

"HENTAI!!! Only **you** would confuse it for something else! This is a _children's_ ride!" Besides, her pony did the same thing, didn't it? As well as everyone else's except Sesshoumaru's!

Hmph, he was an unfortunate soul.

**"WHAT?!"** Inuyasha gaped and glowered at Crappy the Donkey...or Pony whatever. "How dare you?! You told me I was special! I will vanquish you!"

"Gah!" Kagome gave up! She hardly knew why today was her worst day of the year--maybe she was PMSing. And she happened to be cranky on a day her fiancé was his most annoying self.

_The gods hate me._ She sighed. _Ignore him, Kags. He's not there. _

"That'll teach you to mess with me! Ha! Look, wench--I vanquished Crappy the Pony!"

It was an impossible feat, however.

**

* * *

**

He was alive.

His first breath had been...amazing. Refreshing. The first thing he laid eyes upon was his faithful 'helpers'. A wonderful moment...when light reflected into his eyes and focused on distinct images enhanced by color. He had first moved the stiff muscles in his fingers, and then took his first step like an infant learning to walk.

Only that he didn't have such a hard time. He lived a previous life, after all.

And lastly, the first word that rolled off his tongue was _revenge_.

He desired revenge and _no one_ would stop him from attaining it.

Those fools were going to suffer for sealing him! How dare they?! Thank gods that blasted InuTaishou and his tramp Izayoi were dead or he'd abandon everything and rip their hearts out!

Not much changed in his absence... Kagura was the same as ever, silently watching him, waiting for him to slip up and give her a viable excuse to relinquish her loyalties to him. No...she never followed his orders; she was only here because of Meimori.

If only the dog demon knew she was devoted to him as though she was his mate...

Ah, Meimori...the _betrayer_. The one dog demon who initiated the turmoil of the past.

One corner of his lips upturned in a sinister smirk. He was fearless and emotionless, and only esteemed his father as his master. What he, a newly arisen demon god, shared with the dog was a mere alliance, since what he desired, they could achieve together.

And what did he yearn for?

The deaths of the four Keepers of the Jewels--two mortal and two immortal.

The two souls of the Shikon no Tama...the lovely human miko Midoriko...

...and...

The two souls of the Osore no Tama...the terrifying demon god Kurayami.

His blood red eyes narrowed as he thought of the damned Kurayami... Gods, he **hated** him! If it wasn't for him and his wretched curse, he would still be alive! The bastard was the only demon god in the entire universe who could defeat him _without_ using a goddamn dimension blade! Along with his backstabbing bitch Midoriko, he was undefeatable!

Midoriko and Kurayami were clever for banding together against him...

...in the form of their jewel keepers.

But, either way, he had won. How?

Because their precious keepers died. The end!

_Not._

"Naraku."

The inky-black haired demon god glanced at his silver-eyed ally, who stood in the room accompanied by a leery Kagura and her younger sister, Kanna, who held a silver mirror in her small, pale hands. Her charcoal eyes stared unblinkingly at him.

Hm...it seemed Meimori had taken the liberty of liberating the albino child from the mirror realm--Nirria. Strange, she hadn't gone insane like others priorly sealed in the maze of endless mirrors...

Hmph, like the young girl no older than ten showed any type of emotion in the first place.

Yet, she was Kagura's weakness, which was why the demoness was on guard.

"Meimori." His voice was a deep drawl, much like the dog demon's father. Yet, he possessed a suave note...a more menacing tone. "I assume you've carried out your task?"

"My pet successfully fed him the nazupede egg--it should've hatched by now. The hanyou never noticed, though Sesshoumaru has already taken note and gave him a tonic to suppress the symptoms. It will only be a matter of time before he...awakens, however."

It would be inevitable. At long last, his cousins from the past will return to play.

_Delightful._

Kagura's eyes narrowed when he said 'pet' and she huffed in disgust. Meimori glanced at her out of the corners of his eyes, smirking to himself. Was she jealous? _Hm... _

"Anyway," the demoness began, deciding to change the topic before she exposed certain aspects of her 'emotional side' to a probing--and curious, dammit--dog demon, "all you have to do now is capture Inuyasha, right?" Hmph, it sounded like trapping a mouse.

"Once my cousin awakens and accidentally uses his powers, then I will seize the chance to bring him here. So long as Sesshoumaru doesn't interfere, then they'll be separated long enough for Kanna to extract Inuyasha's soul. Kurayami can't be revived if the two souls of the Osore no Tama are incomplete."

"Yeah, then what about Kagome and Rin, huh? They're not as helpless as they seem," she admitted, although it nauseated her. During her fight with Rin some time ago, she noted how relentless the girl was, _especially_ when it came to defending her fiancé.

_I believed only dog demons were possessive,_ Kagura thought with a small smirk. _No, that's not true. _She glanced at Meimori, and her mischievous smirk widened._ Hmph, I'm a prime example. _

Of course there was a reason why Meimori and she were practically inseparable...

But the wind sorceress wasn't about to blab it to anyone.

Meimori scoffed, crossing his arms arrogantly. "The miko can't overwhelm me--my barrier repels spiritual energy. And Rin...let's just say she's going on vacation after I attain Inuyasha..."

Kagura knew what that meant, and it caused bile to rise in her throat. Gods, she had hoped he banished _that_ stupid woman from his mind! Not Rin...he could care less about Rin. He never actually _did_ care about her. No...it was someone else...someone related to the object of his attention as of late...

_Ugh! Men are insufferable!_ Here she was at his mercy and he backstabbed her! "Don't tell me you're still a fucking retarded idiotic mutt!"

"Idiotic mutt?" Meimori blinked in confusion and turned to face her with 'innocent' silver eyes. "How is love stupid?"

"You are **not** in love with _that_ bitch! You are _incapable_ of feeling love! Besides, she manipulated you to get back at her sister!"

"And her sister killed her."

_Rin..._ Kagura shook her head, ceasing to argue with a stubborn idiot. _If only you and Sesshoumaru never met. If only he never even thought about giving you his gift. _

A mistake...it was a mistake. In the past and in the present--he committed a grave mistake. Mortals shouldn't have such powers; they shouldn't have a taste of being close to a god or goddess.

It wasn't that Rin abused her power...

...the problem lied in those who abused _her_.

_Rima..._ She detested the vile whore and couldn't even stand to _think_ about her! _I'm glad your plan backfired and Rin killed _you_, her foster sister. I'll never regret laughing the day you died. But I do regret allowing Meimori to feel affectionate towards you...only for you to manipulate him..._

Just how did the story unfold? How in the world had Rima used Rin, her younger foster sister by two years, in order to kill their family? How was Meimori involved in this?

The answers...Kagura chose to keep to herself until the time was right. At some point, she _had_ to warn Sesshoumaru of what Meimori planned to do with his fiancée. She couldn't let her good friend revive a terrible omen...a conniving woman named Rima...

Only Sesshoumaru was able to prevent it from happening. Did this mean Kagura had to betray Meimori and lose his trust in order to protect him? _Am I capable of it? _She wasn't sure.

_But he'd never understand if I don't intervene._ Even if Kagura tried to tell him everything she knew about Osaka Rima, everything the whore had hidden from him, he wouldn't believe her. He was so lost behind rose colored lenses that rational thought was far from comprehension.

_I have to. I can't let him use Rin to revive Rima...for his sake I can't. _Meimori wanted Sesshoumaru dead for that reason. If his existence was eradicated, then he could revive his long lost love in his cousin's 'chosen mate' and live happily ever after. _Hmph, over my dead body! _

Rin didn't remember past events...but, dammit, Kagura would force her to.

Naraku boredly stared at the three demons in front of him and lazily outlined multiple circles on his ebony stone throne with the tip of his claw. It was a...'gift' from a foolish human easily discarded by Meimori's Aotoki, and he had been so nice to include a palace, too. It was a shame he couldn't recall his name.

"Tick tock...tick tock...tick tock..." He smirked along with his monotonous mantra, drawing the attention of his allies. They couldn't help pondering if they were laying eyes upon a demon god driven by malice and evil...or a true madman. "Tick tock... Boom. Boom. Boom. Boom."

First boom: Inuyasha.

Second boom: Sesshoumaru.

Third boom: Rin.

Fourth boom: Kagome.

They will all awaken to their past selves like a domino effect...

...and then he will destroy them one by one.

**

* * *

**

The first roller coaster, or rolling toaster as Inuyasha and Sesshoumaru preferred, of the day was a disaster. It took about five minutes to convince them to stand in line for it; another three minutes to keep a certain hanyou from complaining about enduring what seemed like an eternity of waiting, and then ten minutes to actually _force_ him onto a narrow cart that moved at forty miles per hour.

Naturally, people--AKA Rin--were miffed that the ride was delayed as a result. She threw a fit and promised to whip the hanyou with the Tablecloth of Destruction once in Japan.

He instantly got into the cart without another word.

But everyone enjoyed the roller coaster. Yet, that was discounting Inuyasha, who threatened to blast the 'toaster' to oblivion after the hundred foot drop, and Sesshoumaru, who asked if it was possible to transport a rolling toaster to the immortal realm. Of course, he desired it as a means of genocide.

Rin ended up pulling on his hair to quiet him--it was quite effective, actually.

Anyway, something slower, like the Tilt-A-Whirl, was even worse. The dog demon brothers spent the entire time growling at each other since they were placed side by side. Every time their car whirled, they were stuck on one side which meant they were _squished_ together and it was impossible to move away.

Obviously, Sesshoumaru detested the Tilt-A-Whirl...

The last ride on the group's agenda was the huge Ferris wheel overlooking the park and most of the area. The view was beautiful once high on the circle's northern axis... It cooled Kagome and Rin's boiling tempers, calmed the sadist in Sesshoumaru, and miraculously silenced Inuyasha's curious inner puppy.

Sesshoumaru and Rin chose a different gondola than Inuyasha and Kagome's, if only to have a bit of privacy. They sat close together in their spacious as well as brightly lit gondola, still eating their ice cream cones leftover from their recent snack adventure.

Well, the dog demon was merely staring at it with a lost expression on his handsome face...

Rin glanced at her fiancé, noticing that his vanilla cone with rainbow sprinkles--she ordered it for him--was still in tact. "You're not eating, Sessh. Don't you like it?" She'd gladly eat it in his stead.

But, in the contrary, he just didn't know how to proceed. Was there a certain manner in which to eat this 'ice cream cone'? This melting spiral of...iced cream looked strange... And he was wary of those evil colorful sprinkles...they acted as a rainbow barricade to a creamy vanilla bounty.

Too much color at once scared him...

After a while, the human teen apprehended his confusion and smiled, turning to face him. "Just go for it, Fluffy-kun. It won't bite."

Was she certain? It was dangerous to trust a maniac...

Either way, the demon god leaned in and took a bite out of his ice cream, ignoring the sensitive nerves in his teeth protesting the intense cold of it. _Mmm...this is actually good. _The sprinkles didn't burn his tongue, too!

And then he pulled away only to be laughed at by his fiancée.

How compassionate of her.

"What is so funny?" Sesshoumaru inquired in a deadly voice, glaring at her as her body racked with stifled chuckles. Ridicule was _not_ on the list of things he liked! "_Tell_ me."

"Y-You!" She couldn't help it anymore--she downright laughed in his face. A few minutes later, she settled down enough to provide a reason for her outburst. "Silly, you're not supposed to _bite_ ice cream! You lick it starting from the top and then lick the sides so it doesn't melt in your hands. Now you got ice cream on your nose!"

The dog demon blinked and went crossed-eyed attempting to see proof of her statement. The task was arduous, however, and he failed. Again, his merciless fiancée covered her mouth to bar her giggles--as though he couldn't hear them! Hmph!

So, he dipped a finger in his ice cream, and with mischievously narrowed eyes, he reached over and dabbed it on her nose. Hey, he managed to include a couple of yellow sprinkles, too! She cocked her head in question after he completed his mission--what possessed him to seek revenge?

"Now we're even," Sesshoumaru explained, smirking like the devil he was, "so you can't laugh at me."

"True, but I can laugh at _us_ instead!" And Rin carried out her words by doubling over in laughter. Geez, she was practically guffawing! "_-giggle-_ Gods, I love you so much, Fluffy-kun!"

He tensed. Did he hear her right? _She said..._ But he glanced at her, only to see her still chuckling and not awaiting a response. _So...she doesn't mean it seriously._

For a moment there, his heart sank.

Why it should bother him that it wasn't what he initially believed fell beyond his comprehension. Well, what would he have said, anyway? 'I love you, too?' Was love an emotion demons like him were capable of feeling?

He inwardly admitted that when he was with Rin, he felt...gods, he felt alive. Free. As though he wasn't a prince with the burden of taking over his father's kingdom, as though he wasn't a demon god with power envied by all--he was just normal. And happy, dare he say.

Even better...Rin could've chosen not to remain engaged to him...but she accepted his ring, their bond, and a future together. No, she wasn't going anywhere. He wouldn't let her, and no one else, not even Meimori, could take her from him.

Sesshoumaru's thoughts were invigorating, so much that he caught Rin off guard when he abruptly lifted her chin, drawing her gaze to him. Her wide cinnamon eyes were so innocent...strangers from blood and death and...murder.

Sure, she fought a battle once.

But that was only one out of many.

Even though they had spent the last five months together, she barely knew him. She didn't know of his conquests back in the immortal realm, or exactly _how_ he managed to complete his necklace and achieve rank ten demon god. He never told her of his life struggles, the true sadist in him, and he probably never will.

And yet...Rin stared back at him in neither hatred nor apprehension. She trusted him, perhaps blindly, but she trusted him with her life. Sesshoumaru's expression hardly changed from emotionless and analytical as he searched his fiancée's face for answers to his unasked inquiries, though inwardly, he acknowledged the fact that he trusted her as well.

He was content with her, a mere human mortal compared to his status. She should be his slave rather than his fiancée, but he neglected it. The dog demon knew this young woman would always be faithful to him: always loyal and always by his side. She was a bit young right now, a tender age of eighteen, but one day, Rin would be more than just his fiancée.

A smile broke out on his face. It was arrogant, satisfied, cocky; the list could go on. Damn Rin--damn her! She literally tore up his insides and made him feel like a stranger in his own body!

"Rin..." His voice was deep and husky, making her shiver in anticipation of what was to come. He leaned in to lightly lick the ice cream off her nose after wiping off his own. "My Rin..."

And he punctuated his claim with a hungry, probing kiss. She welcomed his velvet lips ardently, allowing him entrance in sweet territory he longed to explore again and again. Her tantalizing scent was sweet and delicate, though Rin was _far_ from delicate--especially when she rose to the surface and placed her claim, as well.

The couple was drowned by the other's lips...neither noticed when their ice creams melted onto their clothing...

Ah...so _that_ was why it was suddenly cold! Oh well!

Neither Sesshoumaru nor Rin cared.

**

* * *

**

Inuyasha gazed at the horizon from on top of the Ferris wheel with a lazy smirk on his face. Portugal wasn't as bad as he initially thought. Sure, the people were different, but so were those residing in the immortal realm--it wasn't solely populated by Japanese looking people. Distinct languages were common in his home, yet a few words in the ancient language instantly translated it into one's own native tongue.

Kagome wasn't aware of this ability...and he wasn't about to tell her since it was the only means by which he always scored perfects on his English vocabulary exams...

He sighed and glanced at a raven head lying on his shoulder, its owner also enchanted by the horizon. It was already dark with thousands of vibrant stars peeking through the blanket of midnight blue covering the sky; therefore, the amusement park vivified with its own brilliant lights.

Anyone would be mesmerized by the array of various colors all contained in one park, especially when viewed from high upon the trundling Ferris wheel. It was relaxing, too.

That is, until his mind drifted to what occurred the morning before...to his so called 'nightmare'...

No, it was a vision--the way the fine hairs on the back of his neck rose whenever he thought about it told him it was a supernatural occurrence, a premonition of sorts.

Which meant...what he foresaw..._would_ come true.

The hanyou grimaced, almost shuddering in his seat. Gods, it was horrible...and the fact that it consisted of Kagome being scared because of _him_ made it worse--he never wanted her to fear him! She mentioned Hobo's name...he couldn't fathom why.

And then she told him to stop...there were explosions everywhere...blasts of energy, to be more precise. Obviously it was _him_ causing the destruction... But the fact that he had sounded so....so _murderous_ frightened him the most.

Even so, he wasn't aware of the exact details, and he hadn't seen a complete image, either. His vision was composed of distinct blurs, but clear sounds and emotions served to convey its goal of terrifying him.

The terror in her voice...

The promise of death in his...

The rush of satisfaction in his black heart...

The extreme desire to kill...

And then Sesshoumaru appeared out of nowhere, calling to him in a voice that undermined his disbelief and shock. Shock of what? That his brother was actively engaged in a killing spree?

It was bad enough the bastard neglected to explain the voice in his head! Maybe it had possessed him or something--the owner of the deep, rumbling voice sounded pretty damn evil!

Awakened...

What in the fucking hell did 'awakened' mean? They've both awakened--awakened to what? Power?

Kurayami...the voice of a woman referred to him as Kurayami. It sounded like Kagome, yet the voice had been much older than her own...it was softer, wiser...hiding her extreme power... Kurayami...could that be the owner of the voice in his head?

Gah! He didn't know! All the hanyou knew...that if he ever hurt Kagome...his mate... Gods, he'd never forgive himself.

"Inuyasha?"

He blinked, now noticing the miko's probing gaze on his face. How long had he been out of it? "Yeah, wench?"

"What's wrong?"

_I should've known._ As the days progressed, Kagome became increasingly in tune with their bond and consequently the subtle changes in his mood. It was child's play for her to depict which sudden shifts of emotions belonged to him or her.

But, dammit! The last thing he wanted was for her to worry about him!

It was annoying! If he spent half as much time fretting over trivial things like she did, he'd be admitted into a psychiatric ward along with Rin! Well, she would probably be discharged because she'd make even the professional psychiatrists lose their minds...

"Nothing is wrong," Inuyasha mumbled, not feeling aggravated enough to rant on how there were other life mysteries to solve rather than his state of mind. Not like she would listen to him, anyway. "Just thinking."

"About...?" Kagome prompted, lifting her head off of his shoulder to face him curiously.

Crap, he was lousy at foreseeing her damn questions and he was allegedly a seer! "I _said_ it's nothing!"

The miko shot him a knowing stare. "So you think about nothing all day, is that it? Wow, your life must be filled with a lot of drab... I feel bad for you."

"Shut up, wench!"

"Hey, that's _my_ line!"

"With or without the wench in it?"

"With."

"...I'm not a wench--do I look like a woman?"

"I won't answer that." He frowned at her blunt confession while she giggled. No one was compassionate these days, sheesh! "But since I'm a wench, and you're my fiancé, then that means you're a wencher!"

"A what?!" Was that even a word?! And hey, she was finally admitting she was a wench! Ha!

"Yup, you'll be known as Inu the Wencher across the globe. Ah, I can already see your name on the headlines..."

"Keh! I sound like some fat man who works at a butcher shop and likes to give candy to little boys in the 'privacy' of his room."

"Hentai..."

"I AM **NOT** A HENTAI DAMMIT!"

It still riled him up as it did their first day together. Kagome shook her head in pity for her hanyou, albeit a smile tugged at her lips. Well, at least his mood brightened...err, meaning that it wasn't bleak. Heh, he was glowering at her as though she stole his beloved ramen.

Poor vengeful puppy...

Inuyasha's ears twitched angrily, a growl rumbling low in his throat. "Let's get this straight, wench! I am **not** a pervert like--"

He was interrupted when a pair of soft lips pressed against his, effectively silencing him and causing him to blink rapidly. After months of living with her, he had yet to accustom to kissing her and how sweet she tasted... Kagome was seriously competing with ramen on his favorite list--it was the highest honor he could give her!

_I can get used to a lifetime with the wench..._ And he'd even change his name to Inu the Wencher because he would always chase after the wench.

However...

...even as he explored reasons why Kagome managed to intoxicate him...

...even as he contemplated spending a lifetime with her at his side...

...a nagging feeling at the back of his mind...his sixth sense...his _visions_...warned him...

...that their time together was limited.

Someway, somehow...she would be taken from him...or _perhaps_ it would be the other way around.

Either way...it was going to happen.

_Very_ soon.

* * *

"Aya...it's wonderful that we finally meet again."

Her chocolate eyes stared into milky silver, and she quickly glanced away, wishing to escape the trance she surmised could befall her. Mrs. Higurashi sipped on her cup of tea as she conspicuously busied herself, perhaps to evade the conversation soon to ensue. Gods, his mere potent, demonic aura was enough to summon goose bumps on her otherwise smooth skin.

"Are you this is what you want to do? Especially knowing what is going to happen...do you really want to go through with it?" She congratulated herself for being so brave and masking the fright in her voice. It wasn't that he threatened her existence--he was just the type of commanding person one didn't want to hang around.

Heh...of course, he was a demon ruler in the immortal realm.

"The cycle has already been set. I cannot stop now," he replied in his usual rumbling voice, as though his speech reverberated in his chest before rolling on his tongue. "Meimori has revived Naraku. We need Kurayami and Midoriko to defeat him."

Kurayami...the only person who could destroy Naraku once and for all.

Midoriko...the miko who strengthened Kurayami...whose spiritual power is unrivaled.

Their souls existed within a group of four friends she knew well.

Mrs. Higurashi sighed. "But don't you think forcing Sesshoumaru and Rin apart is a bit extreme? Don't you think allowing Inuyasha to run rampant while controlled by a nazupede egg?"

"It needs to happen, Aya, and you of all people know that. You made a promise to Izayoi, didn't you?"

"I promised her to protect Inuyasha, and this is far from protecting him."

"In the end, everything will work."

"Last time you said that, we all died."

Silence filled the kitchen. The dog demon with long, silver hair recalled an incident no one wished to remember. The incident in which he lost his younger brother, InuTaishou, his sister-in-law, Izayoi, his sons, his nephews, and his nieces-in-law.

But they were all alive again...thanks to InuTaishou and Izayoi sacrificing themselves, changing time and sending everyone five years in the past to change the future in favor of good justice, not Naraku's evil one. Playing with time was a grand deed...that cost them their lives.

Either way, he had to revive Kurayami...he had to. And for that, he required both of his nephews along with the Tetsusaiga and the Tenseiga. "They need to awaken. After they awaken, I will speak to Inuyasha and Sesshoumaru. Remember your part of the deal."

"Yes..." Her part of the deal...Mrs. Higurashi already hated herself for agreeing to his plans, for working with him. "I'll remember."

She needed to keep Kagome and Rin away from their fiancés for a while.

A _long_ while.

So that her accomplice could bring Inuyasha and Sesshoumaru to the immortal realm.

_Without_ their fiancées.

"However, you must remember to keep Meimori in check." Aya glanced up from her mug of tea with solemn chocolate eyes. Her companion stared back with cold Arctic eyes. "Your son thwarted our plans once... Don't allow him to revive Rima in Rin or Midoriko's soul will be lost. If that occurs, our sacrifices will be for naught and we will be killed."

The dog demon ruler, uncle of Inuyasha and Sesshoumaru, merely smiled. "No need to worry then, for I am his master, his lord, his father...for I am Seiryuu."

* * *

**A/N: END! MY FISH HAS RABIES!!! OMG IT'S GONNA KILL ME!!! IT'S RUNNING OUT OF ITS TANK!!! CRAAAP!!! IT SUDDENLY GREW LEGS AND IT HAS A KNIFE IN ITS HANDS!!! Damn it got some nice ass legs... WHOAH BABY! Kouga got competition! LoL! **

**OH MY GODS! SEIRYUU IS INU AND SESSH'S UNCLE!!! DUN DUN DUN! **

**Well, a lot of stuff happened in this chapter! If any of you are confused at this point, tell me so in a review or send me a PM and I will gladly enlighten you! I would take the time now to explain, but I can't 'cuz I have to go to a family Christmas Party in ten minutes! **

Next chapter:** CRAP! HOUJO RETURNS! People fight, people get sick, things get demolished...you know the whole deal! **

**Sooo...will Inuyasha really tick like a bomb and explode? Who really are Kurayami and Midoriko? Why must they be revived in Inu, Kags, Sessh, and Rin? Who the hell is Rima and how did she abuse Rin's power? Does Kagura like Meimori? Will the dean of Imei Academy be Japan's Next Top Tyrant? WHERE DID MY LITTLE PONIES COME FROM?!?! **

**My brain is messed up...**

**WELL, HAPPY HOLIDAYS EVERYONE! I HOPE YOU SHOP A LOT IN THE AFTER CHRISTMAS SALE! WOOT! I LOVE YOU ALL! **

**REVIEW TO WIN A PRIZE AS MY 200th REVIWER! **


	30. Houjo Returns

**A/N: OH MY GODS! THIS CHAPPIE IS SO LONG! TOO MANY THINGS HAPPEN AT ONCE! DEAR LORDS! I'd stay and chat but I have to go to the supermarket! **

**Congrats to my 200th reviewer, **fangremtom2**! I sent you a PM but you didn't reply... Hm... Well, if you're reading this, tell me so in a review so I can reiterate your prize! WOOT! **

**This goes to **shaneallix:** I was going to send you a review reply but I kinda got caught up! You're confuzzled, I know I am too and I'm supposedly the author (I have to write down the plot sometimes). Hopefully next chapter will answer some of your questions, though! And Seiryuu...he's currently mysterious. He may seem like a good guy, but he isn't. He may seem like a bad guy, but he isn't. **

**You'll just have to stay tuned to find out what I mean! **

Claimer:** Once again, I do not own anything but the plot and hopefully my underwear, but I do own Rima, Seiryuu, Meimori, Kizurei, 'Shuon', Kurayami, and Kurayami's Nightmare Blade! And I also own Midoriko's staff, which isn't named yet! **

**ENJOY THE CHAPPIE, MY LOVERS! (Just kidding! :-D) **

* * *

**Oh My Gods! 30**

* * *

"I can't find it, Gramps!"

Kagome sifted through numerous boxes in the small shed at her grandfather's command, but she failed to catch sight of a jar filled with a yellow jelly-like substance like he said she would. Perhaps his memory was beginning to recede... Hmph, he collected countless of 'ancient' remedies in the shed behind her family's shrine home; it wouldn't surprise her if he mistook one for another.

"Did you check the box on the top shelf over by the window?" The gray-haired old man was standing by the door, dictating instructions for his granddaughter while making no move to aid in her search. "Remember, the jar has a white lid and it says 'Shuon' on the label."

"Yeah, yeah," she huffed, glancing at the shelf he indicated. It was at least four feet above her head—she required the ladder for this one.

As she climbed the several steps to the top of the silver ladder, Kagome mulled over what she was currently doing. Why the heck was she looking for a yellow jelly-thing in her family's shed at seven o'clock in the evening?

Rin was sick.

If it wasn't Inuyasha who was ill, it was poor Rin. Merely a few hours after they arrived in Japan from Portugal, the teen complained of a headache and nasal congestion, but she regularly suffered from allergies so she shrugged it off. That was, until her condition worsened to include a fever...a really _high_ fever.

_Hmm...maybe it's a sinus infection?_ It was the middle of winter, sure, but Rin could still have a sinus infection.

Anyway, Kagome had commented to her mother that Rin was sick, and then Mrs. Higurashi told Gramps, who immediately suggested an ancient remedy to decongest her nasal passages. Well, it was everyone's last hope when even allergy medicine failed to ease the teen's suffering.

"Aha!" The miko grinned once she at long last discovered the old jar her grandfather described hidden deep within a cardboard box. She unscrewed the lid and instantly grimaced. _It smells like crap!_ "Gramps, are you sure this isn't rotten?"

Well...Rin could try this cure and hope it worked, yet if it didn't...

...Sesshoumaru would kill the supplier of it.

It was actually pretty scary when a dog demon became _beyond_ overprotective...

Gramps smiled and nodded. "This jar of Shuon dates back to the eighteenth century when—"

"Save me the history lesson, please." It was late and all she wanted to do was leave before Inuyasha, who was 'patiently' waiting at home to keep his overprotective brother in check, threw a tantrum. "How do I prepare this?"

"All you have to do is boil one cup of it in water and have Rin inhale the steam."

_Good, she doesn't have it eat it! _Heheh, Kagome would have died watching such a gruesome sight. "Thanks, Gramps! Hopefully you're not just making stuff up again and this Shuon thingy actually works!" _Or Sesshoumaru might just come and kill you._

Heh, there was no hurry to tell the senile old coot only for him to attempt another 'exorcism'.

"Bah! My remedies are all dependable!" The old man crossed his arms, glaring at his eighteen-year old granddaughter. "Just make sure your demon friends stay away from the Shuon—its foul odor may prove too strong for them."

"Sure thing!" Even though it might be useful on the occasions her fiancé annoyed her exceedingly. "Good night and thanks again, Gramps!"

Kagome hugged her grandfather one last time before bolting out of the shed, eager to get back to Imei Academy. Strangely...she also missed her hanyou. After classes, she practically fled home to search for Rin's Shuon, which took a good few hours because her gramps just didn't stop rambling on and on about his ancient collectibles. She hadn't seen Inuyasha since eighth period!

Well...he refused to come home with her in the first place...

"Bark! Bark!"

The raven-haired teen stopped in mid stride and faced the excited puppy that came to lick her ankles and jump on her knees before she could descend the hundreds of steps leading to a city street. She smiled at the fluffy white Akita-Inu mix breed and rubbed her ears for a bit.

Souta loved his Christmas present from his Inu no Nii-chan—he absolutely _adored_ it! He spent most of his time training his puppy to cohabit with Buyo and making the two well acquainted with one another. His success, however, was merely due to the fact that Buyo was lazy and lacked the will to hiss at a canine...

"Hey there, Ami! I'd stay and play with you but I have to go now," Kagome cooed to the puppy, which was actually four months old now and growing each day; Ami reached her mid calf! "I'll tell Mama Yasha you said hi only if you say bye to Buyo for me!"

"Bark! Bark!" She laughed once Ami bounded off, probably to go 'play' with a barely responsive Buyo. That puppy was always eager to please others and spend her day playing...

Now back to Imei Academy without further interruptions!

However...

It was fifteen minutes into her journey that Kagome thought she heard someone calling out to her. She blinked and slowed down on her bicycle, craning her head in order to glance behind her. _I don't see anyone... Maybe I'm just imagining things._

Great, was she hearing voices? _It's been a long day, I suppose._ The first step to recovery was admitting she had a problem... Obviously, she neglected to concede to the beginnings of Schizophrenia.

"Higurashi!"

Nope, she definitely heard it! Finally, the miko saw the figure of a male running towards her, and at first she believed it to be Miroku, until she realized he never called her Higurashi.

Then again..._who_ did?

Soon enough, she noted the man's short brown hair and cerulean blue eyes...the goofy grin on his face...

"Oh my gods, it's Houjo..." The wimpy guy who liked her? The one who uncannily disappeared from the face of the planet since the school year commenced? "What the heck is _he_ doing here?!"

Dang it, she believed he'd still be off on a quest for the long lost city of Atlantis!

Meeting him again like this was a little _too_ sudden—she hadn't prepared her excuses if he asked her on a stupid date like he surely would! And—crap! This time, Kagome was engaged! He'd surely see her engagement ring and ask embarrassing questions!

"Higurashi!" The brown-haired nineteen-year old panted after he finally caught up with her, and flashed a disarming grin. "It's been so long since I last saw you. I thought you'd forgotten me!"

_I actually did..._ And those were the happiest moments of her life. "W-Well..." Her chocolate eyes refused to stare into his overtly happy face; gods, he was just like Ami when it came to pleasing others! "Where have you been all this time?"

"I was studying medicine in India for a semester. I was supposed to return in December but I stayed a bit longer with a few dorm mates," Houjo replied, having regained his breath. "It was _amazing_, Higurashi! I woke up at dawn everyday to practice yoga and I listened to raga, which is a type of Indian music, and—"

Kagome cleared her throat, interrupting his excited ramble. "That's...interesting. Well, I'm sorry, but—"

"Hey, you're not sick anymore!" He seemed so astounded about it... Right! Kagome always feigned sickness to get out of a date with him. Could she tell Houjo her brain exploded and she was still recovering? "We should take the chance to catch up with each other. Would you like to grab some dinner?"

If Yuka, Ayumi, and Eri were there, they would have screamed her concession before she could even utter a word. Thank gods they were nowhere in sight!

"Um...about that..." What was she supposed to say?! That she couldn't because she was engaged to an extremely jealous hanyou? Heh, Houjo would still ask her to join him for dinner as 'friends'.

Speaking of that...the dense college freshman had yet to notice her engagement ring...oh well! It was for the better!

If only his expression wasn't so earnest and sweet and innocent! Houjo was _so_ unlike Inuyasha... He actually listened to everything she said—ahem, most of the time; he was kind and cared about everyone and anyone; he was respectful in the fact that he referred to her by her last name instead of wench...

But he was gullible and too wimpy for her tastes.

Inuyasha was a bit inexperienced in some aspects of life, but he knew how to compensate by asserting and/or defending himself as well as others. Houjo on the other hand...hmph, he'd probably run home and cry if he was on the other end of her fiancé's fierce tongue lashing.

The teen bit back a giggle as an image of Inuyasha bullying a wailing Houjo popped into her mind. Oh wait—Houjo was still talking!

"—the Ramen House down the block is our best bet. Then you can put your bike on the rack provided." Houjo's cerulean eyes lit up at the thought a date with Higurashi. "I'm so glad we ran into each other! You don't know _how_ long I've been waiting to tell you about my trip!"

"Houjo, wait—!" Kagome tried to stop him, but he was deaf as he was gullible!

"If I'm not mistaken, the Ramen House closes at nine so we should hurry! Maybe we'll even get a booth! Come on, Higurashi, let's go!"

"You two aren't going anywhere."

Kagome swore her blood ran cold. Gods, why now? Why did he have to show up _now_ of all times?! She didn't want to turn around in fear of witnessing the deadly curl of his upper lip...the dangerous flare in his molten golden amber eyes...

Houjo gazed at the intruder curiously. Did this silver-haired fellow know Higurashi? "Excuse me, sir, but who exactly are you?" It wasn't every day random strangers popped out of nowhere and stopped him from leaving with his 'friend'.

Besides, no one could be so rude! Sheesh!

"So..." Something in his tone of voice told Kagome that the hanyou was far from pissed and closer to homicidal. "We finally meet, Hobo. I'm Inuyasha...Kagome's fiancé. And if you don't back off now, I'll rip your face in half."

**

* * *

**

_...Dream State..._

"Why are you here?"

Her flaring cinnamon-eyes stared into pools of piercing blue, and for a moment, she truly believed the elder woman was able to kill her with a mere potent glare. She stood from her seat on the sitting room's antique couch and paced in front of it, all the while ignoring the eyes burning holes into her back.

"Do I need a reason to visit my little sister?" The woman with the piercing sapphire eyes drawled in a smooth voice, the corner of her sensual lips curving into a smirk. Her long, slender body was draped across a cherry red velvet chaise lounge, as though she was the mightiest and the most beautiful Greek goddess.

"Cut the crap, Rima! Why the hell are you in my home today of all days?!"

"You're very hostile this morning, Rin. Perhaps pregnancy is unbecoming of you..."

The younger woman's hands drifted to her flat abdomen—her womb—due to protective instinct, and the expression on her attractive face shifted from guarded to uneasy. "You want something and I know it."

There couldn't be another reason for it! Why in the world would her foster sister visit her, the _Queen_ of Seijou, the _Lady_ of the Western Lands, all the way in the immortal realm if she didn't desire something? It was bad enough that she somehow discovered her pregnancy...

Not even the _father_ of her unborn child knew for he was away attending to pending matters in his empire.

"My dearest sister, what can I want from you when my lover is at my every beck and call?" Rima sighed and briefly closed her feline eyes that glistened like sapphire gems. "Meimori satisfies my every wish. I desire nothing."

"You treat him like a slave! He's head-over-heels in love with you, and you can care less about him!" Rin was disgusted by this shallow woman! She must have no heart! "You're lucky Meimori won't listen to reason and dump you on your fake ass."

They might be foster sisters...but they hardly loved each other.

Rin was the happiest girl alive when she met her mate and was whisked away to a world without orphanages, without stupid foster families, and _without_ Rima. The fact that her sister managed to wrap her mate's cousin around her pretty little finger and follow her to the immortal realm caused the cinnamon-eyed woman to shudder in fright.

Why?

Because for as long as she could remember, Rima _hated_ her.

Having her near was like climbing into Satan's bed—she controlled the situation, not the other way around.

"True, though it's none of your business what I do with Meimori," Rima said in her infamous purring voice. Heh, she was _definitely_ after something.

She then stood and gracefully walked over to a drink table across the room, her back towards her sister.

Rin watched her the entire time, but couldn't decipher if she was innocently pouring herself a drink or...argh! She _despised_ being this suspicious! She longed to be happy and calm and...where the hell was Sesshoumaru when she needed him?!

"Just tell me what you came here for, Rima." She sighed and sat back down on the velvet couch, yearning for rest. Laying her hands on her belly again, she toyed with thoughts of how her pup would look like and if it would be a boy or a girl.

A smile brightened her face once an image of a little Sesshoumaru running around the palace. _Sesshoumaru will have fun supervising a rampant kid with my active imagination. Oh, and let's not forget my random bouts of insanity—_

Her musings were interrupted when a glass of water was shoved in her face, almost touching her nose. Out of reflex, Rin sunk deeper in the couch and nearly slapped the glass away from her.

Rima 'tenderly' smiled and pulled it back. Because she was deep in her thoughts, her younger sister had barely noticed when she returned from her pouring-a-drink adventure—how cute. "You seem a bit tired, sister. Here, have a drink."

_She doesn't look like the devil in disguise._ Rin furrowed her eyebrows, but accepted the glass, nonetheless. _We might hate each other, but not enough to kill._ At least she hoped so since she downed the drink in one gulp. _Mmm...great tasting water..._

"Mother and father wish to see you again, and the twins are coming home from the States to visit just for you."

Rin's eyes widened. _So that's what this is about..._ Her hands slackened enough for the empty glass to fall on the oak floors and crack into tiny shards. "You told them about my...you told them I'm pregnant..."

_Oh my gods..._ She wrapped her arms around her middle, already protecting her unborn pup from the scorn that was to come. _She hates me that much...?_

It was bad enough she mysteriously disappeared from the lives of her foster family—even worse when they now thought she fled from home to whore around and get herself pregnant! Her older twin brothers were just coming to laugh in her face, and her parents would probably demand she live with them again...

How could she ever explain Sesshoumaru to them?! She couldn't reveal to her family that he was the immortal king of an empire in a totally different dimension! She couldn't reveal that she lived in a luxurious palace, was well attended, was _loved_—she just couldn't!

Rima's amiable smile was still in place. "I _had_ to, Rin. Unlike you, they're my _real_ parents and I tell them everything they wish to know. And now you must obey their demands and come home."

"No! You didn't _have_ to—you **chose** to!" Rin stood from the couch in fury and barely restrained from slapping the bitch to hell. "Dammit, Rima—I'm sorry I stole your spotlight when your parents adopted me! I'm sorry they think I'm so much better than you, and I'm sorry they chose me because we look alike! But don't you **dare** involve my personal life in this petty feud!"

The bitch was trying to make her seem lower than scum...a mere burden to her family. Her dealings with Meimori, the cousin of her mate, were supposed to be a punch in the face. She'd keep taking and taking from Rin; she'd keep cutting her and dissecting her until there was nothing left!

"You have no choice." Rima's former angelic expression morphed into frozen ice. She took a step forward and glowered at her younger sister with all the loathing and envy a scornful woman possessed. "Go home and explain to _my_ family what a slut you are."

"I'm _not_ going because I have _nothing_ to explain—I'm not the slut, _you_ are." Rin's glare never withered under Rima's poisonous one. "Besides, I'm twenty-three years old; their ties no longer bind me."

"What a foolish little girl," Rima whispered, shaking her head in pity. "I have Meimori at my every beck and call, remember? And your mate is currently away... The last thing you could _ever_ desire is for him to engage in a _fatal_ battle with his cousin...hm?"

The look of horror that crossed Rin's face was a scrumptious feast to her blue eyes. "Leave Sesshoumaru out of this..."

"Not only that...but I'm sure Seiryuu would _love_ to know his niece-in-law is risking his plans to put an end to Naraku by starting a family..."

"Don't involve Uncle!" An image of her tall, silver-haired uncle glaring down at her with gelid eyes the color of Arctic glaciers flashed in her line of vision, and Rin suppressed a sob.

He once made her promise that in allowing her and Kagome to marry his nephews, they also assured no heirs would _ever_ be conceived—despite InuTaishou's or their mates' wishes. It would render them vulnerable in the final battle against Naraku...their energy outputs would be compromised...

If Seiryuu found out Rin broke her promise...he'd ensure that the pup never survive past the first trimester.

_What am I going to do about him? _It hadn't registered in her brain that her pup was in danger around its own uncle...

Rima tsked and hooked a finger under her sister's chin, bringing her face up to meet her gaze, forcing her cinnamon eyes swimming in tears to burn under flaming sapphire. "You have no choice, Rin. As long as I'm alive...you will do...only as _I_ say."

"I hate you, Rima..." It burned within her...rioting in her heart. Rin was once blind to hatred, but now...it was a part of her. She might be ashamed by it, yet it was a part of her.

"And I hate you, Rin..."

Unlike Rin, however, Rima smiled...proud of her blackmailing, proud of her hatred...and proud of something else the younger woman couldn't discern.

Somehow...Rin realized if she conceded to the elder woman's demands to face her foster family, it would be the last time she ever saw them.

_...Out of Dream State... _

Rin shot open her eyes and inhaled sharply. What in the **hell** kind of dream was that?! It seemed so vivid, however...like a long lost memory her brain discovered and was trying to allocate...

And was it probable her subconscious mind would immediately name Sesshoumaru's mysterious uncle? She had never seen him before, and yet, in her dream, Meimori was his spitting image except his father's hair was silver while he shared her fiancé's cold demeanor.

His name was Seiryuu...

...could that be true, as well?

Rima...Rin's older foster sister. Hmph, she was never adopted! She swore it! So how can she have an older foster sister who hated her due to jealousy? And she was Meimori's lover...he actually devoted himself to her?

The idea was impossible to accept...

Gods, she'd been pregnant, too! The feeling of instinctive protectiveness for her unborn child was still fresh in her mind...she actually wouldn't mind feeling it again...

Ahem...

Kagura once said she killed her family...Rin hadn't believed it, but... The presentiment of never seeing her foster family again after visiting them in her dream had been strong. But then how in the world was Rima tied into Rin killing her family?

It wasn't making sense!

In her dream...she was twenty-three, however. Obviously it wasn't a memory of the past. _A vision of the future, perhaps? No, I'm not a seer; Inuyasha is. Then again—ack! Too much thinking for a sick teen!_

Rin sighed and decided to tell Sesshoumaru about her strange dream later. Perhaps he could better analyze it than her... Anyway, where was he?

Glancing around her bedroom, the teen realized that she was completely alone in the dark. The last thing she noted before she fell asleep was her fiancé's presence beside her, always watching over her incase she needed him... A smile touched her lips at the thought.

But where was he now?!

"Hm..." A slip of white paper on her nightstand caught her gaze, and Rin reached over to unfold the paper, reading the contents of it aloud. "Rin—I went to strangle Inuyasha for running off after his miko like a deprived puppy. Get up from bed and you'll be drinking liver potion. Sesshoumaru."

_Yuck, liver potion!_ It was what she dubbed Inuyasha's immortal remedy for colds and the sort. The major problem with it was its ingredients: fresh liver from various different animals. And it was supposed to be drunken...ew!

She almost puked just pondering it!

"I guess that's normal enough." Well, after her brief nap, she felt immensely better. She still felt like keeling over, but at least she could move her head without fearing a sharp tendril of pain threatening to split it open.

Sooo...what was there to do now?

_Plit...plat...plit...plat..._

Rin's body immediately tensed at what she suddenly heard. Footsteps...she heard footsteps out in the living room. The floor was carpeted, sure, but...perhaps her sixth sense was able to discern it. She definitely heard footsteps no matter how soft they sounded...

At first, she believed it to be her fiancé, or Inuyasha, or even Kagome, but... It wasn't characteristic of them. She couldn't explain it, yet her instincts told her it was someone she didn't recognize. Besides, why would any of her friends be so quiet in their own home?

_Plit...plat...plit...plat..._

The footsteps were getting closer and closer... Rin slowly climbed out of bed, ignoring her body's feeble protests, and reached for her Kimera stashed in her drawer.

It instantly transformed into its spear form in response to her nerves. _Ha, anyone would be freaked out with this huge spear shoved in his or her face! Not that I'm supposed to have a weapon on school grounds..._ Hopefully it would be enough to protect her...though it was unlikely that a robber would be on campus.

_Then again...it could be Meimori..._ Not the person she would like to deal with, _not_ after her disturbing dream. _Is that why he's obsessed over me? Because of that Rima woman?_

And then she once again recalled what Kagura had said before their first battle...how she killed her family...abused a certain someone's gift..._Sesshoumaru's_ gift... Rin's eyes widened, momentarily forgetting the footsteps arriving closer to her room.

_Oh my gods...it can't be...I actually..._ She demanded answers, dammit! She was so confused; her head was going to explode! Ok, no time to think about it now! The obsidian-haired teen regained her alert posture, ready to attack.

_Plit...plat...plit...plat..._ And the door to her bedroom slowly opened. _Creeeaaak..._

"See, you foolish flea? Our masters aren't present so there's no reason to—"

**"HYAAA!!!"**

**"AHHHHH!!! SAVE ME, LORD SESSHOUMARU!!!"**

Rin paused in mid strike and furrowed her eye brows in confusion. Now that the intruders were more terrified than she was, she willed herself to relax and lowered her Kimera. She took a good look at the two...demons in her bedroom and cocked her head.

"Huh?" The one making the footstep noises was...a toad demon no taller than her knee! And he had been speaking to a flea demon bouncing frantically on his shoulder. Who were these people?! "Is it still Halloween?"

Maybe they were trick-or-treating...

"Lady Rin!" The flea demon then bounced onto her shoulder and unashamedly did what fleas were made to do—get some free dinner. Out of reflex, her hand slapped the bug against her neck, and it flattened to paper-thin before filling with air again. "Ugh...I'm ok... You're blood tastes the same as ever, though! Mmm...very sweet!"

"Err..." Was that a compliment? "Okay..." Her fever must be skyrocketing because there was no possible way she was currently having a conversation with a flea.

"Hmph! Of course she doesn't even look at me, that ungrateful human—"

"Jaken!" The flea admonished, facing the demon from on top of Rin's outstretched palm. "Respect your master's future wife!"

"Lord Sesshoumaru deserves better!" The toad had blue-green skin and bulging yellow eyes...yuck...

Rin was half transfixed and half frightened. "I think toadman is jealous..." She muttered, still in shock.

"I am **not** jealous and I am **not** a toad! I'm an imp! AN **IMP!!!"**

"Someone is PMSing... I'm a hired supplier of tampons, just so you know." The teen shook her head, ignoring the raging toadman. "Um...who are you two again?" And how did they know her and Sesshoumaru? _Is this another repeat of Miroku and Sango?_

Gods no! She was still trying to understand why Kizurei sent them to the mortal realm in the first place! And she hadn't heard much of the couple lately, either...it was as though they vanished...

The flea turned to her and cleared his throat. "I am Myouga, Lord Inuyasha's retainer, and that is Jaken, Lord Sesshoumaru's retainer. We have come to this world from the immortal realm bearing urgent news for our masters."

Rin swore her head was going to crack and butterflies would escape. "Urgent news? What's going on?" Hey, she had the right to know since Sesshoumaru was her fiancé!

"Not that you, a mere human mortal, will understand, but," Jaken rolled his eyes, crossing his arms, "we must alert our masters that a certain someone will soon visit this realm."

_Hmph, very descriptive._ "Who?"

Myouga coughed prior to taking over. Apparently, he knew a lot of this certain someone that he wished to keep from _her_. "He is Lord Seiryuu...their uncle."

"S-Seiryuu...?" But he...their uncle...her dream...he was...real...? "Oh my gods..."

**Thud!**

It came as a shock to poor Myouga and Jaken when Rin suddenly fainted. Now a new dilemma arose, which must be solved before their masters returned.

How in the world were they supposed to explain this to Lord Sesshoumaru?

And better yet...

How were they supposed to get a woman a million times larger than them onto her bed?!

Myouga jumped onto Rin's cheek, searching for signs of life. Well...she wasn't waking up any time soon—that was for sure. "We're going to have fun with this, aren't we, Jaken?"

The imp merely stared.

**

* * *

**

Kagome couldn't believe what was happening. Was it some sort of compliment to have her fiancé push her out of the way only to shove his nose in Houjo's face, attempting to intimidate him? Hmph, the wimp wasn't aware of the potential danger surrounding him at the moment. He merely smiled at the hanyou glaring daggers at him.

Now she knew why she didn't like him...

Yet...who told Inuyasha it was okay for him to show up out of nowhere and boss her and Houjo around? He wasn't a mind reader—he couldn't know for sure if Kagome would've refused to have _free_ dinner with Houjo!

Now she sounded like a gold digger...

"Higurashi, I never knew you were engaged! Congratulations! I wish the both of you the best of luck!" Houjo grinned at the haughty hanyou and held out his hand. "I don't think we properly met. I'm Kasumi Houjo."

Inuyasha stared at his hand as though the appendage was rotten broccoli. He glared at it until Houjo nervously coughed and retracted his hand. "Let's get a few things straight, Hobo. I don't like you. I won't _ever_ like you. And people I don't like aren't allowed near Kagome."

The miko narrowed her chocolate eyes, anger welling up in her chest, threatening to explode and swallow her fiancé whole. Who the hell did he think he was?! She wasn't a prized possession that would taint if someone else touched her! She was a human being—she had feelings, too!

"Oh no you don't! There's _no_ way I'm going to stop being friends with _Houjo_, not _Hobo_, just because _you_ don't like him!" Kagome stepped around the possessive hanyou and stood in front of a rapidly blinking Houjo.

If they were engaged, then that meant they were in love—so why were they arguing? Poor Houjo was riding the carousel in Confuzzled World. Yes, he was an unfortunate soul and his pony was a stationary one.

Meanwhile...Inuyasha was outraged! "You can't possibly expect me to trust this wimpy bastard with you! He's so fucking stupid he probably doesn't understand that you belong to me!"

Obviously he was a follower of the unwritten rule stating that Hobos can't get near women engaged to half-demons...because they were _engaged_. End of story.

"Actually, I—" Houjo cut off his own sentence when the couple shot him a furious glower. "I'll shut up now if you don't mind..." Hmph, of course no one minded.

"I **don't** belong to you in the first place!" Kagome jabbed a finger at his chest, emphasizing her point with each poke. "And what do you mean you can't trust him?! Houjo is as harmless as a fly! Oh, so you suddenly trust Kouga more than a fly, hm?"

"The only reason I trust Kouga is because Ayame keeps him in check!" With her around, he hardly beat the crap out of the wolf once he overstepped his boundaries since Ayame's punishment was _quite_ efficient.

She was worse than Sango in taming 'boyfriends'...

Kagome was seconds away from whipping out the putrid Shuon and shoving it up his nose. "Yeah, well Houjo is respectful so he doesn't _need_ Ayame to keep him in check! Heck, he's so respectful he's never made a pass at me in his entire life! You don't even _know_ him, Inuyasha—don't start judging people just because you're a jealous freak."

"I am **not** fucking jealous!"

"The hell you aren't!"

"Umm..." Houjo wondered if now would be a good time to excuse himself. "Can I—"

**"SHUT UP!"** Inuyasha and Kagome both shouted, and he merely nodded after gulping his fright.

"Look, wench—until we're married, I'm not letting you prance around with other bastards, especially _this_ one." Inuyasha left no room for arguments. He crossed his arms and glowered at his fiancée, who was flushed from anger. "Shove your protests up your ass 'cause I'm not changing my mind."

"Shut the hell up!" Kagome shouted, so angry that she couldn't find a replacement for slapping the arrogant fool other than fisting her hands. "You make me sound like a common whore! In case you haven't noticed, you stupid jerk, I practically gave up my friends for you! Does it look like I still hang out with Eri, Yuka, and Ayumi after _you_ came into my life?"

She made it sound like it was a bad thing! Was there a reason why she was only bringing this issue to the surface _now_ of all times?

"Isn't it for the better? Those bitches are annoying." It alas occurred to the hanyou that he had refrained from revealing Yuka's true ugly self to the miko. Hmph, like on his first day of school, she sent him an instant message about how he wasn't good enough for her...

How Houjo was the ideal guy for her...

Even now it still boiled his demon blood...why else would he hate Hobo other than the obvious? Yuka made it seem like Kagome preferred him over her own fiancé... A future doctor from a wealthy family, someone who didn't humiliate her and someone she would be proud of...it seemed like an offer the miko shouldn't pass up.

Well...that was months ago, when he was unsure of how Kagome felt about him. Surely his thoughts on the matter changed in five months? Then again...Inuyasha was notorious for being insecure.

Perhaps if Kagome wasn't so angry, she would have been able to discern it from their bond. But she failed to. Unfortunately, she failed him just as he failed to understand her.

"You didn't just say that..." She couldn't believe her own ears. He couldn't have... It was like a punch in the gut! "Here I am saying I sacrificed a life I knew and cherished for _you_, and all you say, 'It's for the better'?"

"I never told you to give them up—it was _your_ choice! I never forced you to sit with me at lunch, I never forced you to stop talking to them; I never forced you to do anything! So don't you fucking **dare** blame me for your life troubles!"

Why were they arguing? Gods, she wanted the fury in her to recede! But it wouldn't! Not as long as he continued to spew insensitive declarations from his mouth, not until he realized what an asshole he was being...

Why was he like this? Did having a bad childhood immediately force one to be a jerk to others?

Kagome desired to be with him, she wanted to marry him...but not when her life would be compromised because of him. He couldn't dictate her life—she was too independent for that! Inuyasha wasn't her mother or father, so he didn't create her life; therefore, his claims of ownership were unjustifiable!

She didn't need this...

She didn't have to bear this pain and anger...

Once she had believed life with him would be ok as long as they were together.

Once she had believed she could marry him...give herself entirely to him.

But now...

...in the moment his true colors shown...how he insinuated her friends weren't important, her desires weren't important..._she_ wasn't important as long as he had his way...

Kagome shook her head. She believed in equality between men and women. She believed she had her own rights and she could do as she pleased since her fiancé did as he pleased, apparently. And if he didn't like it...

...then to hell with him.

She wasn't a pathetic little girl. She wasn't a porcelain doll confined in a glass box. She wasn't a goddamn pushover! She wasn't going to stand here and concede to his demands like her life was not worth fighting for!

He could whine about it...

He could beg for her forgiveness...

He could threaten to kill himself...

...and she wouldn't care.

"Inuyasha..." Kagome smiled, though it was completely devoid of mirth. Houjo noticed and backed away from her, partially because her spiritual aura was crackling. The hanyou, however, bravely stood his ground. "Thank you."

He cocked his head, baffled. What was she alluding to? "What the—"

The hanyou understood perfectly once his alleged 'fiancée' swiftly removed her engagement ring from her finger, the same ring symbolizing their future unity. She then callously threw it at him with icy chocolate eyes betraying her amiable, benevolent personality.

His golden eyes widened. _She is...breaking up with...fuck... _Technically, they couldn't break off their engagement, but...the miko's strong will was enough to persuade her mother otherwise.

Besides...it hurt. It hurt him...that she could even think about not... Damn...

"Thank you, Inuyasha. Now I really know we're just not made for each other." She shrugged as though it hardly bothered her. "It's not working...it's just not working between us. We argue too much. We disagree too much. We share different ideals."

That word...ideals...

_'Yuka says: Whatever. Just remember that Kagome is nothing like you and she deserves someone who shares her ideals.'_

Inuyasha's heart nearly stopped once he recalled the particular instant message from all the way back on his first day of school. The Yuka bitch was right. Fuck...she was right. And yet...he wasn't accepting it.

Nope...it was impossible to accept. Like hell he was about to let her leave him! Like fucking **hell!**

His body pulsed, unbeknownst to onlookers. His mind blanked, and his blood became thick black. His hands curled into fists...his lips curled into a snarl...

She wasn't leaving him...she wasn't, dammit!

_Pulse..._

What was happening to him? He didn't know. But what did he care in the first place? All he could think about was Kagome walking away from him, living a life with another man... No!

_Pulse..._

It was like a snake slithered restlessly in his veins, attempting to burst out of him... It was making him sick...like how he felt back in Portugal... No, this time it was different.

_**Don't let her go, Prince Inuyasha... Don't let that bastard take her from you.**_ His body relaxed for one moment and coils of black energy wound around him, embracing him. The deep, rumbling voice returned with a vengeance that lulled him...he couldn't deny its wishes.

_**Allow me to help you make her stay.**_

He just couldn't fight it. He let the voice's power drift into him. He neither forbid nor prevented it from consuming him.

_**Unleash Kurayami's Blade—**_**my**_** blade—and kill him.**_ Kurayami...was speaking to him?

He was right, though... Kurayami's Blade...a powerful weapon...perfect for murder.

_Pulse..._

And then...all Inuyasha could see was black.

**

* * *

**

Something was off about the hanyou...but the miko wasn't heeding her instincts.

"Come on, Houjo, I could use some grub right about now!" Kagome turned to the heavily confused man behind her with a carefree smile, and she refrained from even glancing back at her fiancé...or ex-fiancé? Houjo wasn't sure. "Hopefully the Ramen House is still—"

"I thought I said you two aren't going anywhere."

Something in his tone of voice made Kagome face him again. It sounded smooth and deep, even calm...and then she immediately gasped. If she ever thought his aura was tenacious prior to this day, then it was a severe understatement.

The expression on his face was even worse.

"I-Inuyasha...?" Perhaps she shouldn't have been so harsh with her words or her actions...

He was smiling...

...because he planned to kill someone.

The hanyou chuckled, and it had everyone's skin crawling. He outstretched his arm and his onlookers were shocked when a sword materialized into his hand. A sword! Kagome's alarm died down once she recognized it as his precious Tetsusaiga, but Houjo was still a second away from fainting behind her.

However...

The sword was then enveloped in a swirl of ebony light similar to the color of his current aura, and it surprisingly transformed into a scythe...what?! It was a tall weapon reaching at least several feet above his head, and its blade was long and jagged—overall, it looked like the devil's weapon of choice.

"O-Oh my gods..." Houjo's mouth looked like a cave with the way he was gaping. "W-What is he...? Is this normal for half demons?" Damn, he was researching this at once!

_No, it's not normal..._ But Kagome lacked the will to part her lips to utter a single word. His eyes...they were so guarded...so emotionless...

...so _cold_...

"You two aren't going anywhere...not if I can help it," 'Inuyasha' reiterated, smirking with the cruelty only a god of death harbored. "It's such a shame we couldn't spend more time together, Hobo. But I'll enjoy killing you."

* * *

**A/N: END! :-D**


	31. Awakened

**A/N: HELLO!**

* * *

**Oh My Gods! 31**

* * *

_...Recap..._

"O-Oh my gods..." Houjo's mouth looked like a cave with the way he was gaping. "W-What is he...? Is this normal for half demons?" Damn, he was researching this at once!

_No, it's not normal..._ But Kagome lacked the will to part her lips to utter a single word. His eyes...they were so guarded...so emotionless...

...so _cold_...

"You two aren't going anywhere...not if I can help it," 'Inuyasha' reiterated, smirking with the cruelty only a god of death harbored. "It's such a shame we couldn't spend more time together, Hobo. But I'll enjoy killing you."

_...End Recap..._

Crap!

Kagome's eyes nearly bugged out of their sockets once her fiancé raised his black scythe over his head and swung it in circles, creating a whirlwind of electric demonic energy. It was compelling...his might enchanted her...lulled her...

Her instincts were screaming at her to run away, but her legs wouldn't budge! _What happened to him? It's like he's possessed! _

Then he faced Houjo again...and launched the large, raging whirlwind at the stationary fool who still clutched his mate.

**"HOUJO! Look out!"** Kagome only had time to grab the shocked young man's hand and haul him away from the path of destruction. **BOOM!**

The black whirlwind nearly obliterated the entire block! People in their cars and walking the streets began to scream, scrambling away from the terrifying grim reaper holding a scythe in both hands. What was happening?!

"Looks like you're not dead yet," Inuyasha commented lightly, raising his scythe once more. "I guess I'll have to try harder."

He swung his scythe in an arc, creating a potent black energy wave... **BOOM! **

**"STOP INUYASHA!"** The miko was forced to run around like a sitting duck with a homicidal dog demon on the loose! He was hell bent on blasting Houjo to bits! He was freakin' destroying the entire city and killing people!

He was _**KILLING**_ people!!!

There were injured bystanders lying on the crumbled ground, groaning in agony and desperately yearning for salvation. The once joyous city turned into a haven for the devil, with all the injured and the dead acting as his beaten angels of death.

And there Inuyasha was in the center of it all, sadistic and uncaring to anyone's needs, mercilessly chuckling at his failed attempts to annihilate a vexing human. Apparently he was thinking: if Hobo was wiped from the face of the earth, then he couldn't take his mate from him, right?

It made her sick. It really did.

At the moment, it wasn't processing that in a split second, someone she knew and cared for morphed into an invincible killing machine. And she could've done something to prevent this...she should've sensed this coming from her Bond of Mates! Its sole purpose was to keep Inuyasha from the brink of insanity!

If he wasn't insane now, then what the hell was he?!

Gods, Kagome didn't know how to counterattack—she barely knew what to do! Inuyasha was relentless, and his scythe was too damn powerful for her to just dash close to him, purify the evil in his youki, and hope he returned to normal.

This wasn't fantasy! This was reality! Her fiancé lost his mind and turned Tokyo, her birthplace, into his private training grounds!

What was she supposed to do? He was far beyond the point of listening to reason—talking to him wasn't even an option since he ceased to stand still for a moment in hopes of eradicating Houjo's existence! She lacked the aid of someone... Dear lords, who could even _bear_ to stand against the hanyou?!

At this rate, she was going to die in the hands of someone she—

She couldn't fool herself any more. No matter what he did to her, no matter what he said to her, Kagome couldn't deny her feelings for Inuyasha.

She cared for him. Deeply. Love was still uncertain...but she truly cared for him more than she did anyone. Heh, it took a moment when her life could end to realize how much he meant to her.

All the time she spent with him...she cherished it all, and she would never relinquish her memory of him—not again, not even for her friends. Maybe he was insensitive at times, but weren't they both in the insecure point in their lives in which they feared to lose the other?

_'Look, wench—until we're married, I'm not letting you prance around with other bastards, especially this one'._ Not until they were married...until he was sure he gained her affections, her trust...until he was sure she wouldn't leave him...

And Inuyasha might just kill her because she foolishly believed she could care less about him and move on with her 'independent' life! Ugh, no one else in the world could be more **stupid!**

What was Kagome living—a soap opera?! A husband came home to see his wife cheating on him with some bastard and he kills them both in a fit of rage... Hmph, her story sounded like it.

Well, this was the deadliest soap opera ever made!

**BOOM!**

_He's not going to stop! _Kagome whimpered in her mind, stopping for a quick breath in an alleyway between two burning shops. Houjo was a trembling, crying mess beside her, since she was forced to drag him from place to place to keep him safe. _Oh my gods, he's not going to stop! _

What could she do? What the **fuck** could she do?! _Think, Kagome! Dammit, THINK! _There was nothing to think about, though! She wouldn't bear purifying him! Not even in exchange for all the lives lost—she just _couldn't_ hurt him!

She did so once...when Inuyasha and Kouga first reunited in the mortal realm...the imprint of her hand remained on his arm for most of the day... Gods, she still felt guilty about it!

Therefore, the only thing on her mind was protecting Houjo until—

"Inuyasha!"

Wait—who was that?

Kagome dared to peek out from the alley she was hiding in, and gasped when she saw _Sesshoumaru_ of all people bravely facing his ruthless brother. He glared at the devious being before him, gripping a long pike in his hands...

...hold on...

Since when did Sesshoumaru own a pike?! She thought his favorite weapon was Tokijin, or even Tenseiga! And those two were Japanese swords! Yet...even the Tetsusaiga turned into a scythe right before her eyes.

What the hell was going on? Were they _all _going to sprout these gigantic weapons from their asses?! Maybe Houjo would pull out a unicorn and fly away, saving her the trouble of protecting him...

The immortal's pike was actually very tall, even taller than him with a crescent blade—like that of a naginata—on either end. Its pole was made of ebony metal, and it was ornate, along with its blades, with several intricate designs Kagome couldn't depict from her spot.

Hmm...a scythe and a pike.

Odd.

**

* * *

**

Sesshoumaru glanced around the devastated city and cursed himself for not arriving earlier. The events during his absence fell beyond his comprehension, but he sure as hell knew Inuyasha was not in his right mind. Furthermore, it wasn't even _Inuyasha_ in his brother's body right now.

It was the soul of Kurayami.

His father had explained it to him in a distant, foggy memory he only recently recalled. The third form of Tetsusaiga was a scythe—Kurayami's Blade. However...then there was its opposite, a second form of Tenseiga, which was a pike—Kurayami's Nightmare.

But put the two weapons together...

...Kurayami's Nightmare Blade.

That was the key to comprehending the purpose of Tenseiga; it was merely a part of a deadly weapon once belonging to a terrifying demon god named Kurayami. Once his father defeated him, his weapon became _both_ the Tetsusaiga and the Tenseiga—why?

Well, the Tenseiga only existed to balance the evil of Kurayami's Blade—it was just too overwhelming for one sword or wielder to bear.

If both brothers worked together and used their weapons at the same time, the outcome would be so strong it was unpredictable.

Sesshoumaru gazed at his brother, the poor fool who had lost his mind to the demands of his inner youkai influenced by Kurayami. Two months ago, after he discovered the voice in the hanyou's head, he instantly knew it was the influence of Kurayami's Blade...meaning, his _evil_ soul.

Or that was what his father informed him.

His Nightmare Pike possessed the other half of Kurayami's soul...ironically, the _good_ part, which was why he was more inclined to 'being' good—heh, like accepting Rin, a _human_, as his fiancée—or neutral rather than pure evil.

Every nefarious demon god's nightmare was having good karma...

Either way, the soul, a part of Kurayami's soul trapped in a jewel called the Osore no Tama, in his weapon could not deter him like the soul in Inuyasha's weapon since it was not malevolent. So, Sesshoumaru wouldn't require an exorcism after this...

Though, why was he only to transform it now, solely after his brother had done the same? It was a mystery to him. On his way here, the dog demon's body pulsed and new knowledge poured into his brain, like a memory of Kurayami's Nightmare and such.

So here he was...with his transformed Tenseiga, hoping to reverse all of this chaos. He should've known this would happen after he found out about Inuyasha being fed a nazupede egg—hell, after he heard Kurayami's voice in his head! It was why Kurayami's soul was currently able to possess him and _wasn't_ able to before hand!

"Sesshoumaru! It's so nice to see you!" Inuyasha stood before the dog demon, his perverse humor only growing by the second. "You're just in time for the festivities, brother. Which ones? Well, first off, we've both awakened."

Awakened.

Almost all of their recent opponents commented on their 'awakening'. Sesshoumaru recalled it being said to Rin, Kagome, Inuyasha, and even to himself. What did the term truly mean, however? Was it this new rush of energy he felt coursing through his veins? The fact that he could now transform his Tenseiga into a _useful_ weapon?

Awakened.

Inuyasha awakened...and Sesshoumaru supposed he did as well.

**

* * *

**

_Pulse... _

Why was she pulsing...? Was she dreaming again? Her pulse pounded in her ears; it was a slow, steady rhythm filling her with a peculiar comfort as well as dread.

_Pulse..._

Her instincts told her...something bad was happening. Her mate needed her. Her strength was required by him. He depended on her to mend a terrible situation...heal a destructive disaster.

_Pulse..._

Rin's cinnamon eyes fluttered opened, and she sat up on her bed. Strangely, her head no longer ached...and her nose was no longer congested. No, no...she just didn't feel it. Her body was still ill, yet...for some reason, it was more tolerable... It was numb, just like her mind wasn't processing pain or discomfort.

She felt so calm...balanced...as though she reached equilibrium never before possible...

Her senses were sharper. Her mind was overwhelmed with new information she never thought she knew prior—new battle techniques, details about her Kimera, her Bond of Mates...

...powerful songs in the ancient language....

"Sesshoumaru..." She felt him...and she had to find him...

Awakened.

The term came to mind...but she didn't know what it meant. Kagura said it to her once, sneered how she had yet to awaken and was therefore weak.

Well, now she wasn't.

Rin climbed out of bed and swiftly changed her clothing. She didn't know where toadman and the flea went, but she could hardly care. The teen left her Kimera, deciding that she wouldn't require it. And so, she headed towards where her bond was pulling her...an unknown destination.

Awakened.

Yes...she awakened.

**

* * *

**

**BOOM! BANG! BOOM! **

Kagome tried to follow the rapid movements of the two brothers, but to no avail. They weren't exchanging blows—they weren't engaged in hand-to-hand combat. No, they used their weapons to summon ripple after ripple of raw energy. The only way she could tell who was who was by the fact that Inuyasha's current energy blasts were black with the odd speck of gold while Sesshoumaru's were his normal dark blue.

She glanced beside her only to see that Houjo lied in a heap of sprawled limbs on the rubble ground; he finally passed out. _Well...when he wakes up, he might just believe all of this hell was a really bad dream. _

Gods, she wished it was a dream.

Unfortunately, it wasn't.

Rin was sick, Houjo returned from India, she broke off her engagement with her fiancé, Inuyasha went insane, Sesshoumaru showed up to fight with a big-ass pike—what next?!

The miko's heart pounded in her ears. Her entire situation seemed so surreal—there was no way Tokyo morphed into a battle field in less than a half-hour! And here she was, hiding in an alley with an unconscious wimp.

What troubled her now, however, was how to get Inuyasha back to his old self.

If she told him she was kidding about cancelling their engagement, would he stop his death rampage?

Nope.

_What happened to him in the first place?! _Kagome frantically thought, fisting her hands and suppressing a whine. _One moment he looked shocked and then the next, he transformed into Sesshoumaru's evil twin and tried to kill Houjo! Does he have a split personality?! _

She'd actually prefer it if he did! Then he'd have an excuse for creating this chaos! Could she ever forgive him for this madness? Was all of this reversible? Even if it was impossible to travel back in time...holding rancor for him any longer was also impossible.

No. Hating him...wasn't an option. No matter what he did in the past, in the present, or what he would do in the future...hating him would never be an option.

_Pulse..._

Whoah—her body just pulsed! Maybe she was hallucinating.... _Huh? Why the heck am I pulsing...? _Hmph, she was probably an alien from outer space.

_Pulse..._

Kagome narrowed her eyes. Was she just hearing her heart in her ears or...? No, she was _virtually_ pulsing—her cells vibrated for a split second. But such a thing never happened before in her life! It couldn't be normal!

_Pulse..._

And then...her mind blanked and her vision consisted of bright pink light. She ceased to control her own body any longer...not that she noted any difference.

Awakened.

Potent spiritually energy she never possessed before flowed from her veins to her finger tips, caressing every fiber contained in her essence. It crackled around her, enveloping her in warmth she readily welcomed.

Kagome barely noticed when she began to walk away from the hidden alley, towards Inuyasha where he stood in the center of the demolished street battling his older brother.

She also failed to perceive the weight of a long metal staff in her hands...

**

* * *

**

**"HELL DRAGON!"**

**"DRAGON STRIKE!"**

Inuyasha and Sesshoumaru summoned two dragons from their energies reverberating throughout the city, and the bestial opponents fiercely attacked each other. An elegant glowing black serpent with golden spikes curled its tail and lashed it at an opposing blue serpent charging forward. Their heavy bodies clashed—buildings were knocked over as they wrestled and roared, attempting to claim dominance.

The dragons were being controlled by the brothers, who each had their eyes enveloped by light matching the color of their respective dragons. Sesshoumaru growled with the strain his expanse of energy was taking on his body, but he refused to give up!

His muscles were aching, his fingers gripping his Nightmare Pike threatened to crack, his head might incinerate—but he owed it to his brother _not_ to give up!

Hell, Sesshoumaru bowed to no one!

Inuyasha/Kurayami was relentless, however...and was one goddamn _powerful_ bastard.

Alas, the dragons disappeared once a stalemate was reached, but it only allowed for the two demon gods to launch more energy waves. Hmph, most of the time their attacks merely cancelled each other and no damage was done! It was frustrating, in the very least!

Sesshoumaru gripped the pole of his tall pike and ground his teeth together, his lips drawn into a tight line. There _had_ to be a way to overwhelm the hanyou! Not even his energy boost aided to subdue this bloodthirsty maniac! _What is his weakness? Every one has it...a moment without guard...but does _he_ have one?_

"Getting tired already, brother?" The hanyou drawled in a smooth voice definitely not his own, smirking as he waved his tremendous scythe over his head. "Well, this is bound to keep you awake."

The silver-haired dog demon was confused when his brother imbedded the tail end of his weapon into the rubble ground only to take a step back from it. He knew he should advance to attack while his opponent prepared for whatever he was planning, but he was curious as to what he would do next.

Damn canine curiosity...

Inuyasha's eyes were once again enveloped by black light, and he then threw his head back, spreading his arms to their limits. His lips moved in an ancient chant—not even Sesshoumaru recognized the words.

Suddenly, the earth beneath him began to shake violently, though it couldn't be an earthquake...right? He glanced at the ground before facing his brother again, only to see that he was entirely sheathed in black light along with his blade. A whirlwind of pure, raw energy soon encased him...

...oh shit...the vast energy expanse...the earthquake...

_He's evoking an underworld beast..._ Not good...fuck, this wasn't good! Such a technique was impossible unless one studied the immortal ancient language for **ages!**

The energy gathering around him like a storm in the making caused Sesshoumaru's vision to distort. Shock waves, similar to heat waves, rendered the appearance of his younger brother to be a blur on the other side of their battle field.

This only proved that the sheer power radiating from him was so enormous, molecules in the air were going haywire...

"Shrikna pernina te gadshi...malek drish onka..." Inuyasha lifted his head. His arms were no longer spread—instead, they grasped the handle of his scythe. Apparently, the violently quaking of the earth hardly bothered him for he was not rattling out of place. "Yaku sen shi!"

**RRROO—BA—BOOM!!**

"Shit!" Sesshoumaru immediately summoned his wings and took to the skies where it was _hopefully_ safe.

For the love of all that was fucking mighty! The damn half-breed converted the entire ground into a pool of slimy green tentacles itching to grab onto him! He didn't even _want_ to think about the shrouded beast underneath the ground!

No! One of the tentacle things actually _did_ wrap around his ankle!

"Fucking piece of shit! Deida!" A blast of blue light shot out from his hand and incinerated the tentacles, but it only regenerated to latch onto him again! Now with both legs at the mercy of the green beast, Sesshoumaru relied on all of his upper body strength to disengage it.

Inuyasha was still standing immobile in the center of a whirlwind, controlling this wild beast he evoked from the netherworld. "Yaku sen shi!" Every time he exclaimed that, an electric current ran through the tentacles, and Sesshoumaru bit his lip to prevent from crying out.

Dammit, it was his brother trying to subdue _him_—not the other way around!

No matter how many times he blasted at it, no matter how hard he flapped his wings to propel his body upwards, he just couldn't break free! Inch by inch the slimy appendages dragged him below to their master's layer—dammit, he wasn't about to die being eaten by a disgusting, slimy monster!

"Moku kaan ha!" **BOOM! **The entire area was covered in a sheet of pink light that especially unfurled over the ground. From the inhuman shrieks he heard, the dog demon surmised the beast was purged from under the ground—thank gods!

Sesshoumaru was relieved when he was able to escape from the tenacious hold of the tentacles, but it wasn't by his own power and might. After the brilliant—and too bright for his tastes—light faded, his golden eyes narrowed as discovered a new addition to the battle...who was...

...Kagome?

She purified the beast wreaking havoc under the earth's crust in one potent blast of spiritual energy—what the hell was the source of her unprecedented strength?! And what was she doing carrying around a metal staff as large as his pike and shouting words in the ancient language?!

Wait—**what?!**

Surely Kagome had no knowledge of the ancient language! So what, did she suddenly pull a Rin and 'remembered' certain words out of nowhere? Would she defeat Kurayami and return Inuyasha to normal by singing a long lost lullaby?

Rin would do that...

Sesshoumaru scoffed. _My life can't get any stranger. _Nope, definitely not. _I will be in dire need of explanations after this. _Hm...he wondered who would provide the answers he sought. His eyes narrowed in sadistic amusement at a 'pleasant' torture scene his mind conjured after he recalled his faithful servant. _Jaken._

He'd beat it out of the imp the moment he found him...

The raven-haired miko glared at the peeved hanyou, who was still in the process of recovering from her backlash of spiritual power. He alas stood from the ground and retrieved his fallen weapon before glaring back at the conniving wench.

"Kurayami," she said simply, erecting her staff beside her. Its orb the size of her fist situated between a U-shaped blade was glowing pink with suppressed energy.

"Midoriko," he returned with as much indifference, though her name sounded like poison on his tongue. "I see Kagome also awakened, which means Rin has as well. The two souls of the Shikon no Tama are complete—you're a lucky bitch."

Well, the Osore no Tama was also complete, since Sesshoumaru and Inuyasha awakened, too. Hm, how fortunate. Their keepers were no longer incapacitated when it came to battle and unleashing their dormant abilities.

Kagome/Midoriko remained impassive. "You cause chaos with everything you touch. It's no wonder InuTaishou eradicated you before you destroyed the universe."

"Be quiet!" Kurayami yelled, baring his fangs in acrimony, yet he made no move to attack again.

Sesshoumaru, who was still watching from above the couple, barely refrained from cocking his head in confusion. His father seemed like a sensitive subject for the demon god. Yes, InuTaishou killed Kurayami in his lifetime, but the demon had reacted in response to _hurt_...not anger.

_Hm...interesting...yet another question to ask Jaken..._ He should be drawing up a list.

"It's true, isn't?" Midoriko continued, treading closer on thin ground. She glanced at the carnage in the once impeccable city, and sighed in pity. "All these poor souls..." Her eyelids refused to allow moisture to pass them. "You have a horrible habit of destroying life when you're angry or threatened, Kurayami."

He growled and raised his scythe in fury. It wasn't imperative to lecture him! Who the hell did she think she was, prancing between his battle with Sesshoumaru only to start bitching about shit he already knew?! Midoriko should mind her own fucking business—gods, not even death could erase her nosy self!

Gah! So what if he had tantrums once in a while?!

It was perfectly normal after InuTaishou-bastard freakin' killed him!

"I can't stand your goddamn life-loving self! I HATE it! You can't always save everyone!" Kurayami swung his blade in circles above his head, creating a tornado of his black youki. "Backlash wave!" A huge ring of youki shot toward Midoriko, but her expression hardly changed from stoic.

ARGH! Why couldn't she ever show fear?! It would make him feel so much better if she spent the rest of her life fearing him!

"Hinto!" She intercepted the attack by merely poising her staff in front of her, as though a barrier around it prevented the dark vortex from engulfing her. "You are still the spoiled fool from all those centuries ago! Driven by anger and hatred—your soul is pure evil!"

"Shut the fuck up!" Wave after wave and she never succumbed! He detested dexterous priestesses! "No one is worthy of living in this realm! Can't you see it? All mortals are good for is backstabbing others! They deserve to die!"

"Kurayami," the miko braced herself for another attack, which she effortlessly purified with her staff, "You must stop this madness and leave Prince Inuyasha alone! You cannot influence his actions like this! Grief and self-disgust will **kill** him in the end!"

"Ha—as if _I_ care! It's InuTaishou's curse! I told him I'd come back in the form of his sons, but did he listen to me? NO!"

"Is vengeance the answer for everything?" Silence enveloped the area since he had no response for her. At long last he ceased to overwhelm her with failed attacks and merely listened. "Your life is filled with vindication after vindication. I warned you not to fight with InuTaishou and it cost you your life."

Why couldn't he understand something so simple? Dog demons _had_ to be naturally cocky. All she wanted for him was a peaceful life! She tried to tell him that engaging in battle with a determined young prince like InuTaishou was suicide—especially when he obtained a dimension blade!

Kurayami smirked. Because she was causing him internal pain, he might as well return the favor. A dark, ugly part of himself—hey, his soul was allegedly 'pure evil'—wanted to cause Midoriko harm..._despite_ their past together. She deserved it...she deserved it after putting him through hell.

"And I warned you to stay away from Naraku, Midoriko, because it would cost you yours."

Sesshoumaru finally descended to the couple's level, and he merely stared at the two nearly glowing with contained fury in confusion. His father killed Kurayami; he knew that, but...

Midoriko was here? A legendary priestess of the immortal realm who died in a war against an evil demon god was alive in Kagome _and_ Rin! What the hell was the Shikon no Tama?! He heard mention of it before, yet he never really paid attention. It was a jewel of sorts, apparently...belonging to Midoriko...

...err...his brain was going to explode...

Midoriko sighed, and she seemed so forlorn Kurayami also ceased his sadistic torture. In only two strides he was at her side, drawing her into his arms and burying his nose in the crook of her neck. She grabbed onto him as though he was her lifeline, as though she had faced eternity without him and never desired to release him again.

Heh...all else was forgotten and all was swiftly forgiven.

Sesshoumaru wanted to puke.

"Forgive me, Kurayami..." The miko mumbled, close to tears and genuinely guilt-ridden. "I should've trusted your judgment of Onigumo. I should've realized he sold his soul to the devil and turned into Naraku! I should've—"

"Hush, my love," Sesshoumaru's eyes widened with Kurayami's little endearment—what was this, a freakin' cheap romance movie?! "We both made mistakes and as a result, we were separated. It's over now. The keepers of our souls will ensure that bastard Naraku's death."

"Excuse me?" Sesshoumaru had no time for trivial nonsense! And who the hell was Naraku?! The couple at long last noticed his presence and turned to him. "I have enough on my agenda already. I don't need to add to it by settling a lover's quarrel."

Midoriko looked surprised while Kurayami raised an eyebrow incredulously. He then shrugged with a rather cruel smirk on his face. What he was planning, Sesshoumaru couldn't fathom. "Well, I guess I won't be requiring your aid. Bye bye, Sesshy!"

"Yami, wait! Don't—" Not even the miko could stop him from lifting his arm and clustering his energy into an orb floating on his hand. Sesshoumaru was far from alarmed, however; he only poised his pike in attack mode.

But before anyone could even move a muscle...

_"E mi et le escontina_

_O plenitas o colindia_

_Mi mortis sicle ha juus costro_

_Mawe poco entalius..."_

Singing...someone with a sweet, hypnotizing voice was singing...

Everyone turned around only to come face to face with an obsidian-haired teen slowly making her way towards the center of the devastated city. She was expertly singing in the ancient language, creating her own melody, her own tune without the aid of instruments.

Somehow, her voice possessed a power of its own...so much, that it calmed the rage dwelling in Kurayami and transfixed Sesshoumaru. Midoriko was merely smiling because she knew what Rin was about to do.

And it was coming...

...now.

_"Taan ma tai la la la... la la luu..._

_Plaute taan mi fai o gunema_

_Mundiana mundiana..."_

It was amazing! When she sung those lines, the apparent chorus of her song, waves of yellow light instantly enveloped the land in a gentle sweep, as though lifting the evil and devastation from the city and regenerating it. The sweeping waves touched everything except Rin, who was in the center of it, singing without fail, bringing life to ruin and decay.

Sesshoumaru couldn't see anything else but her. He couldn't sense anything else but her. Perhaps she lacked in physical strength, perhaps she wasn't able to use her beauty to her advantage like other women, but she had the perfect voice... It was the voice of spring: new life.

Rin wasn't a fighter. She didn't kill.

She revived.

_"Tai les tai la la la... la la luu..._

_Morie taan mi fai es volta..."_

Sweep after sweep, the city came back to life. The crumbled concrete of the sidewalks fixed together, the severed streets joined; the darkened sky no longer cried in grief but was clear in joy as it smiled upon the creator of new life.

_"Taan ma tai la la la... la la luu..._

_Plaute taan mi fai o co..."_

All around him, cars were being put back in place with people in them. Dead bodies once with no hope were suddenly on their feet as if they had never lost their luster before. Sesshoumaru marveled at his fiancée's ability—what he had witnessed of it prior to this moment was a mere preview!

_"Mi mo..."_

No more burning shops, no more demolished buildings, no more injured/dead people...

_"Tra taan..."_

And before Rin fainted from both sickness and loss of energy, Sesshoumaru barely believed that Tokyo returned to its normal self, from prior to Inuyasha's first attack. People walked the streets minding their own business and seemed to have no memory of what just occurred.

The dog demon scooped his unconscious fiancée into his arms and stared into her serene face. She was the problem solver, he supposed. Always the first one to sympathize with others or attempt to end an argument. A bit insane and psychotic at times, but a pacifier nonetheless. He was proud of her...and his profound smile proved it.

_Hn...and what of the other two?_ They were surely being quiet...hopefully his brother and his miko were also back to normal.

"Dammit," Sesshoumaru swore, rolling his eyes at the misery that was to come. "I officially hate the half-breed and his miko."

Was there a reason why _both_ Inuyasha and Kagome decided it would be wise to pass out at the same time? How the hell was he supposed to haul _three_ unconscious people back to Imei Academy? His car better be where he left it!

_Great. Now I'm stuck with a bunch of inconsiderate whelps._

"Ugh, was I sleepwalking again...?"

Sesshoumaru merely pretended that Houjo wasn't the cause of his current turmoil—hmph, yeah right—and ignored him.

Too bad for the disoriented human.

* * *

**A/N: END! WOOT! MY ASS IS ON FIRE!!! HELLS YEAH!!! And yes, Dragon Strike is a Tokijin technique, but I borrowed it, and Hell Dragon is a Sou'unga technique!**

**Dang it, Winter Vacation is sooo boring, but I have sooo much homework! Bleh! Stupid essays, stupid packets, stupid...err...stupid Chemistry homework! Why did I take AP Chemistry? WHY?!?! Anyway...**

Next chapter:** Umm...what happens next chappie? Oh right! ANSWERS! WOOT! Now we won't be confused anymore! -gasp- What's this? Inuyasha loses control again? Naraku is plotting against Kagura? JAKEN EXPLODES?!?! Heheh, stay tuned! **

**Sooo...How in the world does Rima tie in with Rin killing her family? (Think about the drink of 'water' she gave Rin in the dream/flashback) Will Inu and Kags get back together? What kind of histroy do Midoriko and Kurayami have together? Will Houjo sprout a unicorn from his ass? Where are Miroku and Sango? When is everyone getting married?! **

**WILL WE STOP BEING CONFUSED ANYTIME SOON?!?! Hopefully next chapter :-D **

**Review peeps! Dude, Chapter Twenty is finished, so if you review and I get a **_**good**_** number of reviews, I'll update on New Year's Day, which is Thursday. **_**This**_** Thursday; yes, TWO days from today. **

**I'm serious--I'm **_**that**_** crazy. But you MUST review first to find out if I'm just insane or telling the truth! **

**SO REVIEW IF YOU DON'T WANT TO BE CONFUSED! **


	32. Forgotten Past

**A/N: Well, I did promise this chappie, so here it is! Ow, my tooth hurts so I won't rant too much! I want to go to sleep...New Year's took a lot out of me...**

**HAPPY NEW YEAR! WOOT! **

**ACK! STUPID ZUNE! Did anyone's 30 GB Zune die on New Year's Eve? It was so freaky! I woke up at four in the morning and saw it own with it frozen on the loading screen--I thought my house was haunted! **

**STUPID MICROSOFT! I COULDN'T USE MY ZUNE FOR AN ENTIRE DAY!!! **

**Oh well! I had to resort to a CD player, as much as it sucked...but my Zune is reborn! MUAHAHAHA!!!**

**Um...I guess half of this chappie is dedicated to **fangremtom2**! Half of your ideas are in this chapter, and the rest will be in the next! :-D **

**And i forgot something! CHAPPIE EIGHTEEN IS ALSO DEDICATED TO **PuppiesAreAdorable** BECAUSE SHE GAVE ME THE ICE CREAM SCENE IDEA A VERY LONG TIME AGO! **

**Enjoy the chappie! **

* * *

**Oh My Gods! 32**

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"Please, m'lord! Have mercy! King InuTaishou told me to do it!"

**CRASH!**

"I-I'm SORRY!"

**BOOM!**

"No...not the table...please not the table...NOOO!!!"

**BANG! THUD!**

"Perfect a-aim...Lord S-Sesshou...maru..."

Rin wondered if the sounds she was hearing from out in the living room were supposed to be a normal occurrence. Was it everyday that her fiancé threw tables at people? Perhaps. Not like she remembered anything...

...she felt like she was hangover.

"Maybe I sleepwalked into a night club," the cinnamon-eyed teen yawned, slowly climbing out of bed. Immediately her head threatened to burst in reaction to the congestion of her sinuses. "Great, I'm still sick." She sighed in dismay. "At least it's the weekend and I don't sound funny."

Heheh...the last thing she wanted was for Inuyasha to keep complaining about her nasal voice.

Anyway...

Rin gradually made her way out into the hall only to meet with utter chaos. A typhoon completely demolished the living room! Well, she hoped it was a typhoon because if it was Sesshoumaru...

_He's one dead doggy._

Shards of dinner plates littered the floor, cups were rolling about in freedom, the coffee table was in pieces, stuffing from the couch pillows acted as fluffy white marshmallows topping the entire mess—what the hell happened?! She gaped in disbelief; she must be dreaming this scenario.

Yup, back to bed!

"Lady Rin! You're finally awake—thank goodness!"

It had to be around five in the morning since the sun was barely up yet; therefore, it wasn't Rin's favorite time of day. She was obviously not a morning person, and in her standards, morning came _after_ the sun completely rose...

So, she had a reason for picking up one of her fiancé's business magazines and swatting an annoying flea demon with it. The poor paper-thin retainer slowly floated onto the shredded couch.

"Where's Sesshoumaru?" Because of the claw marks claiming the hunter green couch, she discerned the cause of this mess to be a certain silver-haired immortal. Rin's eyes narrowed in contempt. "I'll torture him _very_ slowly..."

"L-Lord Sesshoumaru is—" Myouga's explanation was cut short when a shriek resonated throughout the apartment. Uh oh... "Well...he is—"

**"LADY RIN! CONTROL HIM!!!"**

Whoa, a terrified imp just wrapped around her legs! And why was he wet?! Rin glared down at Jaken, who was virtually shaking in fear, and glanced up, though her eyes soon grew wide. Her fiancé had to be _more_ than just cranky to even think about...

Shit, their microwave was in his hands...and it was recently set on high if the steam coming from it was enough proof...

Sesshoumaru was glowing in sadistic euphoria—a malicious smile highlighted his regal face and the glint in his honey eyes matched the smooth, black shine of the microwave he held over his head. It was aimed towards Jaken, but he was hiding behind Rin... _Hn, what a devious little toad. _

Oh well, he was about to die anyway!

"Please help us, Lady Rin! He's been in murder mode since last night!" Myouga frantically jumped on top of the teen's head, knowing full well that he was safe wherever she was.

"Please please please **PLEASE!!!** I don't want to explode!" Jaken was on his knees begging for mercy Sesshoumaru wouldn't grant, yet his fiancée might. Depends if she was more shocked than pissed, though...

After a while of processing the sight of the living room in turmoil and her fiancé with a deadly weapon in his hands, Rin sighed and took a step towards him. In the meantime, Myouga and Jaken played it safe right behind her. "Sessh, we can talk about this... Just put the microwave down _gently_..."

"Jaken must die..." His words sounded like a mantra, as though he repeated the same chant in his head over and over again.

"What did Jaken, your _faithful_, _loyal_ retainer, ever do to you?" Ugh, she felt like she just spit out sour milk.

Sesshoumaru snarled. "Faithful? Loyal? He lied to me!" He glowered at the imp, who merely cowered in fear and began to pray for a quick, painless death. "And Myouga should die as well because he did the same."

"Err...okay..." Rin didn't know what to do beyond this point—asking him what the imp had lied about would probably make him more homicidal. "Well, I need to use the Microwave of Extermination for my breakfast, so would you kindly put it down?" He lowered his arms. "I meant put it down in the _kitchen_, duh."

"..."

"Sesshoumaru, I'm _warning_ you. I'm not the happiest person in the world at five in the morning."

"..."

"I know you can do it!"

"...grr..."

"Don't growl at me, Mister Smarty Pants! You're getting ten minutes of time-out!"

"...?"

"What? Geez! I just felt like saying that!"

This was going nowhere. Apparently, Sesshoumaru wasn't budging from his spot inches away from eliminating Jaken from the face of the world. Myouga fled from the trio, sensing danger the moment Rin failed to subdue her berserk fiancé.

_Hm...what to do now?_ She couldn't fathom another way to—

"Hmph, worthless human...can't even control her own mate..."

Rin instantly tensed. _Toadman better have not said that!_ "You know what...I'm hungry. I'll meet you in the kitchen when you're done, Fluffy-kun. Kill him...painfully."

Sesshoumaru smiled while tears flooded Jaken's large yellow eyes. "With pleasure, my lady." And he raised his arms up again...

**SLAM!**

...but he never brought them down.

Everyone froze in the middle of what they were doing—even Jaken stopped pleading for the mercy of any higher entity. The door to a room just slammed opened, and their suspicions turned out to be correct when a raven-haired miko ran out of the room and into the living room, though she seemingly disregarded its entropic state.

Her blue-black hair resembled a lion's wild mane and her frenzied chocolate eyes were desperately searching around the apartment for someone... No one could mistake the identity of this 'someone'.

"Where is he...?" Kagome mumbled as in a trance. "Where's Inuyasha?" It hardly bothered her that Sesshoumaru was seconds away from smashing a pathetic looking toad demon with their microwave while Rin almost walked away. All that mattered was finding her fiancé.

"Umm..." Rin glanced at her fiancé, who merely glanced back. They both acknowledged the miko's conspicuous worry for the hanyou.

"He went to see the sunrise in the forest nearby. You'll probably find him by the small lake to the north end," the silver-haired dog demon responded, abruptly back into 'cold and serious' mode. He must be bipolar...

Hm...the lake...she had been close to a lake the day she found Inuyasha on her way to her family's shrine home...it was his favorite place for that reason.

Kagome nodded in thanks, but she bolted through the apartment's entrance before anyone could utter a word. She truly _was_ worried because she just ran off in her pajamas without brushing her hair or putting proper shoes on! A pair of slippers were on her feet and nothing else!

Rin didn't know what to think of it. _I hope she's not in a panic because Inuyasha is in danger. _She shuddered at the thought of adding to their lists of stressful matters.

Now that she thought about it...did she miss something yesterday? She couldn't exactly remember any details, yet she swore she had woken up at some point after she fainted due to Jaken and Myouga confirming the reality—or near reality—of her dream. _That reminds me, I have to tell Sesshoumaru about it. _

"Die!"

**BANG!**

"AH-YAH-AH-YAH-AH-**YAAAHHHHH!" **

**"LADY RIIIN!!!** JAKEN MIGHT EXPLODE! **DUCK AND COVER!!!" **

_Eh, I'll tell him about it later._ And with a small smile, Rin stepped into the kitchen, all the while ignoring the screams of agony coming from the living room.

Wait—someone was screaming?

Hm...she never noticed...

**

* * *

**

The sun was slowly peeking out from the horizon, and the glowing orb cast out orange, yellow, and red rays across the clear morning sky. Glittering diamond shards covered the serene lake he faced like a warm blanket reflecting the sun. It almost coaxed him to reach out and lift the blanket onto himself.

A smile tugged at his lips.

Nature was rubbing away the remnants of sleep, as well. Small forest animals scurried about, scavenging for food now that the predators of the night retreated. Crystalline dew drops rested on the blades of foliage, moistening his fingers as he glided a hand across a patch of grass beside him.

Inuyasha admitted that he loved nature, and he sorely missed the abundant lands of his homeland—the Western Lands. Ranges of hills and groves of forests were scattered about the region, yet they were all within reach. Here, the only place he could settle peacefully was a diminutive forest incomparable to the ones at home.

He sighed and absentmindedly picked at the grass beneath him. Perhaps life in the mortal realm wasn't for him. The pollution in the air heavily taxed on his tolerance—not to mention his poor nostrils—and how could one live with the noise of the city?!

Even after five months living in Tokyo, he still jumped at the sound of a truck!

Hmph...with the destruction he caused in the city yesterday, he was sure the mortal realm would love to see him leave. A volatile hanyou who constantly lost control of himself didn't belong among millions of people.

A volatile hanyou didn't belong near Kagome...

Inuyasha growled in fury, and pounded his fist against the ground. What was with the pity talk?!

Why was it _he_ who didn't deserve her?! Why couldn't it be the other way around?! Why was it always the goddamn hanyou who was banned from playing with others, who was the laughing stock, who was the beaten whelp, who was—

_Gods...if this is what I think of myself, then why the hell am I still alive? Am I fighting for something? My life means nothing!_ Another fierce growl emanated from within his chest. His golden eyes fleetingly bled red. _I have nothing tying me to this life._

His mother and father were dead. His uncle and cousins hated him. His brother was only _beginning_ to tolerate his existence. His brother's fiancée was naturally kind to everyone.

His future kingdom was a bore. His future subjects would never accept him. His power was too much to handle. His current residence would drive him to insanity.

And his fiancée...

...oh, right. He ceased to have one.

Of course, he kept the ring Kagome threw at him yesterday in hopes of returning it to its rightful owner, but... After what occurred, would she even think about stepping near him? Surely she watched him destroy the city she was born in, ruthlessly murdering people, attempting to end the lives of people she knew and loved...

He was a monster.

Monsters were supposed to be hunted and killed.

_Stop it already, dammit!_ What the hell was wrong with him?! _This is what happens when my visions come true and I can't stop them from becoming reality. _

Inuyasha tried not to hate himself and he tried not to pity himself. It was a means of survival—if he started to pity or hate himself, he would never see another day in his life. Even when he was a young pup and he screamed his frustrations to the world, he still continued as though nothing happened.

So he incited one _little_ argument with Kagome and everything was over for him?

He lost just a _little_ bit of self-control and he immediately wanted to die?

No! He wasn't some kind of pansy! He wasn't a wimp like Hobo!

Surely if he was meant to die, he would be dead. The gods knew he narrowly cheated death in his life thousands of times, and he was half-immortal—he was actually _able_ to die unlike most of his enemies. Inuyasha would be foolish to cast aside his past struggles over something he could and _would_ forget.

The silver-haired hanyou sighed once again and allowed his upper body to fall against the ground. With his long, thick tresses of hair fanned out beneath him, his limbs stretched out on the grass, he gazed up at the sky, searching for answers he might find in its blue-gold depths.

Even now, in his most serene of moments, suppressed energy was sizzling under his skin, brimming with excitement, waiting to be unleashed again. _Keh! Not going to happen._

His long lashes teased his cheeks as his eye lids fluttered closed, and Inuyasha then deeply exhaled his troubles.

All he wanted...was peace and quiet.

That was...until a jasmine scent he recognized filtered through his nose...

"Inuyasha!"

_Shit!_ He sat upright in a split second, appearing like a dear caught in headlights. How had Kagome found him?! Great! This was why no one could trust Sesshoumaru with secrets—he either kept them a _too_ well guarded, or immediately spilled his guts!

"Inuyasha!"

She sounded desperate...should he stay and confront her or just leave and find peace elsewhere?

Inuyasha quickly stood from his spot and began to walk away. Why he was walking...he didn't know. Running was an option...even jogging was...and yet, he was walking. Perhaps he inwardly desired Kagome to find him so that she could ease his frustrations.

_Perhaps._

"Inuyasha! Wait! Stop!"

He shook his head, knowing that she was running only a handful of meters behind him. For some reason, he couldn't stop and face her. Facing her meant facing what he lost and a purity a hanyou like him would taint.

They were ying and yang; oil and water.

Good and evil shouldn't mix.

"Please stop!"

_Just shut up, shut up, shut up..._ Inuyasha bit his upper lip to keep from exclaiming his frustration and continued onward without looking back. His blood was boiling...the snake from yesterday was restless again... _Shut up, Kagome, shut UP!_

If she didn't shut up, the snake would burst out of him and wring her neck!

Couldn't she understand that he didn't want to hurt her?! He was in an unstable state—his youki was imbalanced! His entire body was alien to him now! He couldn't fucking reign his immortal power!

Why the fuck couldn't Kagome comprehend it?!

"I-Inu...Inuyasha...ple-please..."

_No...don't start crying, Kagome! Don't cry—anything but that! _He gripped his head and finally stopped, but whined low in his throat. Inwardly it was like a fierce storm was battling with a determined ship on an uneasy ocean; the tide could turn in either's favor.

_Don't cry...because I will kill you for it...and I'll never forgive myself. _

The hanyou sensed her tentatively treading closer...stepping slowly towards him... She reached out her hand to touch him...he imagined a smile surrounded by tears on her beautiful face...

He knew she sensed his distress.

He knew she scrambled to relieve it.

"I'm..." _No, Kagome! Don't say it!_ He mentally pleaded with her, but his voice refused to beg the same. Hell, his lips were so numb he was unable to part them. "I'm...sorry..."

He hated pity.

He hated sympathy.

But he detested her apology more...

...because Kagome had nothing to apologize for.

"I'm sorry..." Why was she repeating it? Inuyasha heard a sob catch in her throat, and angrily hoped she choked on it if only to prevent her from speaking again. "I'm so sorry..."

And she tried to touch him this time...to lay a comforting hand on his shoulder...

...but she never saw the moisture gathering in his amber eyes...because he knew he couldn't restrain the furious snake for much longer...

"R-Run..." Inuyasha attempted to warn her, yet it was hopeless. _I don't want to hurt you, Kagome...I don't want to kill you._ It was too late, however. "Run, Kagome!" _I can't fucking control it! I fucking CANT!_

Of course she wouldn't understand...of course she'd stubbornly hover around...

"I-Inu—"

He was protecting her...and she was blind to it.

_No, Kagome...!_ **"RUUUN!!!"**

_**BOOM!**_

**

* * *

**

_Meimori left...he's not even in this realm..._

Dammit! She was supposed to have gone _before_ him! _Then it must've finally occurred—Inuyasha, along with the others, awakened._ Of course, this meant nothing good for her, especially with what Meimori planned...

"I have to stop him!" But how?

Kagura paced in her room, constantly growling, constantly biting her lip, constantly mumbling to herself—obviously she was distressed. Here she was living in this goddamn palace Meimori secured for Naraku, doing absolutely nothing but worrying her ass off!

Why the hell was she living with Naraku, anyway?

Because stupid-ass Meimori thought it befitting after his battle with his cousin destroyed her home in the Valley of Sephiroh! Even so, she could've refused—_only_ if he hadn't decided to reside _with_ her. ARGH!

With all the things she did for him—he still failed to return the favor! _That_ wasn't doing her a favor!

The demoness sighed in order to calm her growing rage. She should be forming a plan, not adding to Meimori's infinite list of faults. "Okay, so he's going after Inuyasha first. Kikyou already knows what's happening...and I still have time to warn Sesshoumaru about Rin."

Everything was working out perfectly! She just needed to leave now before—

"Going somewhere, Kagura?"

_Fuck. I forgot about him._ Kagura swiftly turned around and masked her surprise at seeing Naraku of all people inside her room, appearing smooth and collected as always.

She closely watched his crimson eyes glance around her ornate chambers, from her four poster bed draped in burgundy silk to her several ebony wood furnishings—each provided by Meimori.

His lips curved into a devious smirk while the wind sorceress scowled.

Meimori, whose sharp tongue kept Naraku in check—as well as away from his property AKA Kagura and Kanna, was currently absent. Not good. Oh crap, not good.

"What the hell do you want?" Kagura hated Naraku; simple as that. She loathed him, and the way she fought back a snarl as he treaded closer into her territory proved it.

Meimori was ignorant of what he had asked her to do when he begged her to join his campaign to revive this bastard. Since she cared for her best friend, she abandoned her past suffering—the suffering caused by a certain evil demon god—and became the inuyoukai's loyal accomplice.

This time, however, she wasn't allowing Naraku to do as he pleased solely because _he_ sealed her beloved sister Kanna in Nirria, unbeknownst to his dog demon ally.

But gods! Who the hell did he think he was sauntering into her room as though he owned the place?! He was presently alive due to Meimori's desire to kill Sesshoumaru—nothing more! That hardly issued him the right to stop her from leaving!

Naraku's smirk was firmly held in place as he strode closer to Kagura, much to her discomfort. His beady white pupils, inhuman and almost indemon, actually caused apprehension to bubble in her stomach. Heh, he possessed the ability to terrify even the most evil creatures...the devil wouldn't dare cross him...

"My dearest Kagura..." His voice was a smooth caress on his tongue, deep and chilling to the bone. The demoness narrowed her eyes once she caught herself in a daze. _He wants something..._ "My dearest, traitorous Kagura..."

Traitor... Oh no...he knew about her intentions to betray Meimori!

"Back off, bastard!" Kagura pushed against the demon once he invaded her comfort zone, but was unable to make him move an inch. Yet, she was undeterred to slap his hand away when he reached to stroke her cheek. "Remember that I'm _not_ afraid of you and I _won't_ fall for your manipulations! Get the **fuck** out of my room and _leave_ me in peace."

"You should be afraid of me...everyone should be afraid of me..." His smirk...his amused, arrogant, victorious smirk was what tore the demoness's defenses for a split second, but it was already too late.

It took half a second for him to grasp her delicate throat in his large, right hand. It took another for him to disarm her of the metal fan tied on her belt. It took one last to slam her against the wall, choking her, preventing her from inhaling precious air.

She clawed at his merciless hand fruitlessly, her expression plainly displaying her desperation to breathe. Her ruby eyes searched his face for an indication that he was about to release his hold on her...but there was nothing but amusement.

His damn crimson eyes...it was like staring death in the face.

"I won't let you ruin my plans, Kagura. Meimori is _my_ tool for vengeance, not vice versa. I control him...and through him, I control you." Naraku's smirk widened into a devilish grin, and his eyes glittered like diamonds dripping with blood. "I'd just kill you, though I have _other_ plans for you."

Black dots began to cloud her vision. Being immortal, she knew she couldn't die...he was merely torturing her. No...he was trying to render her unconscious! Kagura wildly fought him, yet she couldn't concentrate enough to summon energy from her core and blast him to bits.

Her claws left trails of blood on his hands, but his exhilaration only increased.

Her fists and legs collided with any part of his body, but his eyes were still pure hell.

"M-Mei..." He was her only hope! _He_ was the one who protected her from Naraku, even if it was unknowingly! The possessive dog demon would _never_ allow this bastard to harm her; therefore, the devil in disguise remained a safe distance in his ally's presence!

Now, however...he wasn't here.

Damn him...damn Meimori! He was blinded by a prize too grand to achieve. His father's desire for vindication against the former King InuTaishou splayed over to his eldest son...

And that wretched Rima...how she coiled herself around him...barred his mind so that no other rational thought not involving her entered...

"M-Meimo—" She was interrupted by a coughing fit. Naraku was deliberately making this torture slow and dreadful... It was everyone's fear to suffocate and die, wasn't it?

She tried so hard to breathe but no air would enter her nostrils. Her instincts screamed at her to break free from his hold, but she couldn't! She was at his mercy...no! No! Kagura the Wind was **not** controlled by anyone!

This couldn't be happening...

...this was what occurred when she permitted herself to care for Meimori!

Fawning over Sesshoumaru only fortified her resolve to remain by his cousin's side at all costs. Her freedom...her life—each of them she valued above others—were the highest costs to pay.

"Ku ku ku..." There was never a moment when Naraku refrained from enjoying the torture of others.

His grin was so wide that his lips were curling enough to expose his gleaming pearl white fangs. He knew that Kagura, in her desperation, was thinking of her beloved, of her Meimori. It was quite touching...to others _but_ him.

Yet, the poor mutt was a fool to ignore his best 'friend'. Oh well—not his problem.

"While Meimori is away...Naraku will come out to play." And he would play...no one could tell him otherwise.

This time...Kanna wasn't essential to subdue Kagura. He accomplished it himself.

Heh, she was just _that_ pathetic.

**

* * *

**

Sesshoumaru stared at Jaken and Myouga as though they were aliens from planet Glykamon. Were they insane? Did they need medical help? He could admit them to the nearest mental care facility—hey, he sold Rin to them for a year. "You must be lying to me again."

Well, he should start finding another microwave!

"Sessh, I think they're serious..." Then again, her sickness might allow Rin to trust a flea demon and a toad-in-denial if they said it was raining tractors. "On second thought, I might just head to the nearest hospital."

Yeah, the doctors would give her some medication...right?

After Sesshoumaru appeased his inner demon—ahem, the Sadist—the couple, along with the two retainers, settled down enough to have a highly 'professional' conversation. This time, tearing apart the dorm and chucking household items everywhere was not included.

For _now_.

Sesshoumaru and Rin sat on the couch—or what was left of it—staring at Myouga and Jaken, who stood before them, with confused expressions on their faces. They haven't heard of Inuyasha or Kagome since the last fifteen minutes, but it wasn't as though they remembered their own names, anyway.

Myouga cleared his throat as he bounced on top of Jaken's head to make himself more noticeable. Yup, the imp miraculously survived electrocution and, to his master's chagrin, failed to explode. "Unfortunately, it is all true, m'lord and m'lady."

"How is it possible that Inuyasha, Kagome, Rin and I all..._died_ previously? What kind of nonsense are you two fools spewing from your mouths?" They were just uttering excuses for lying about his amnesia! Sesshoumaru _hated_ being lied to!

"Myouga, I think it's time you tell the story of how it all unfolded," Jaken croaked, still recovering from his recent beating. His master was a ruthless lord...

"Should I start from the beginning-beginning?"

"Start with the 'Long, long ago' story, you old coot!"

Rin blinked. "What 'Long, long ago' story? Is it gonna crumple my brain? I kinda use it for school, ya know..." She already felt it throbbing in pain...poor brain.

"Just pay close attention, m'lady." The old flea demon crossed his four arms and briefly closed his large eyes in preparation for story time. "Long, long ago, there lived a family of powerful dog demons in the immortal realm. The patriarch of this family was a dexterous dog demon named Lord Shintaku."

_Lord Shintaku..._ Sesshoumaru's golden honey eyes widened. "He was my grandfather..."

His fiancée placed a finger on her lips in a contemplative gesture. She probably deemed it cool...

"Correct! Lord Shintaku was your grandfather—the father of Lord InuTaishou who was responsible for unifying the vast Western Lands and creating a prosperous empire." Jaken was obviously in awe of the deceased dog demon with the way stars shined in his eyes. He returned back to normal once his master threw a couch pillow at him.

Myouga intercepted the pillow and jumped onto Rin's lap—the safe zone. And now that he thought about it...the view from his current spot was _fantastic_... The perverted flea grinned as he glanced up at the teen's chest.

Um...was there supposed to be growling in the background?

Okay, back to the story before he was killed! "Yes, ahem. Lord Shintaku presided over the Western Lands along with his mate, Lady Dariya. I had the opportunity to meet her once...ah, what a beautiful demoness...such delicious blo—"

"You're getting off topic, _flea_," Sesshoumaru said, but he sounded like he was growling the words. It bothered him that the damn insect was on Rin's lap so he couldn't slash at him.

"Excuse me for the interruption! Anyway, as you are well aware, Lord Shintaku had two sons: Princes Seiryuu and InuTaishou." Rin shuddered at the former name, recalling her dream. "In actuality, however...he had _three_ sons; Prince Kurayami being the eldest."

"What?!" Sesshoumaru for once _exclaimed_ his surprise. "Are you saying my father killed—?"

"—his own brother?" Myouga finished his sentence. "Yes, he did, and that was how he became King of the Western Lands, for Kurayami was Lord Shintaku's heir. It caused him much grief, though, and Seiryuu still hates him for it."

"Why?" Rin whispered, shocked at the revelation. She wondered how her fiancé must be feeling knowing that his father was capable of murdering his blood relative while he failed to do the same. "Why did he kill his brother?"

"Prince Kurayami was...pure darkness, per say," Jaken took over the story, since this part he did witness. "He was born with black markings and dark abilities that overwhelmed even his father's. Naturally Lord Shintaku was afraid—he cast aside his first born in fear of his power."

"This only allowed for the darkness in the young prince's heart to grow, and before long, he roamed the Western Lands, terrorizing villages and ending lives to mask the pain of his rejection. It was how he and Lady Midoriko met. Ah...she was also beautiful...so—"

Again Myouga strayed from the topic! "Be quiet and continue with your narration so we can arrive to the part where we all die." It was the only reason why Sesshoumaru was listening to this.

Yeah, sure...

"Yes, of course. Lady Midoriko was a miko, and like all priestesses, she was compassionate and lived to help others. Yet, unlike others, she was a warrior at heart with enormous power." Now that Myouga was finished describing the beautiful miko, Jaken jumped in.

"I'm not certain of the exact details, but one day, Midoriko planned to put an end to Kurayami because he was causing too much destruction. She found him wounded—what a fool—and felt sympathy for him—hmph, she's another fool. I guess they fell in love and stuff during the time she spent nursing him back to health."

Why she even bothered to aid her enemy, Jaken didn't know.

Rin shook her head in dismay. "Only you, toadman, can make it sound so unromantic." No, Sesshoumaru could manage that as well...

"Hmph, whatever!"

"Back to the point." Myouga bounced on Rin's lap to catch everyone's attention, but merely earned himself another warning growl from his master's brother. Whoops! "Prince Kurayami and Lady Midoriko fought side by side many times to ensure the safety of the Western Lands. But then entered a man named Onigumo..."

"Ugh! Onigumo—I detest him _so_ much!" Jaken nearly spit on the carpeted floor after uttering his disgraceful name, yet one look from Rin stopped him.

"He is quite a traitor. He was discovered in a field severely injured, and obviously Midoriko wanted to help him, but Kurayami was solicitous. The couple fought, and in the end, Midoriko helped Onigumo by herself while Kurayami went elsewhere."

"At this point, Kurayami received a letter from Seiryuu warning him that InuTaishou planned on dueling him." Jaken crossed his arms and rolled his eyes in disgust. "Lord InuTaishou was the favorite of Lord Shintaku and was very easily manipulated by him. After Lord Shintaku discovered his son's affair with a human miko, he sent his brother to exterminate him."

"Why is it so bad to be with a miko?" Rin asked, substantially confused.

"Because they're the only ones who can battle demons and win," Sesshoumaru replied in a solemn voice. He knew where the story was about to end... "Mating a miko is like mating your murderer. She can purify you in an instant, especially a powerful one like Midoriko."

"But she wouldn't purify her own mate!" Rin wasn't even mated to him and wouldn't have had the guts to do it! "I _know_ she wouldn't!"

"Even so, Midoriko was a threat to Lord Shintaku. Yet, instead of demanding _her_ dead, he chose Kurayami. Lord InuTaishou had no choice but to pull through with his father's wishes despite his feelings on the matter. Midoriko warned Kurayami not to battle InuTaishou, but the young lord was stubborn—not even Seiryuu, his closest brother, could change his mind."

Sesshoumaru briefly shut his eyes after Myouga paused. "And then Kurayami was killed."

"Precisely." Rin was still having a difficult time believing it, but Myouga resumed the tale. "It is said that before his death, Prince Kurayami cursed InuTaishou—"

"Oooh, oooh! I know the exact words!" Jaken sounded a little _too_ excited, but whatever! He cleared his throat before he said in a low, haunting voice, "'I curse you, my beloved brother, for my blasphemy will now be yours. You will take a human miko as your mate, and she will bear you a half-breed son—but before that, an unhappy marriage will result in a pureblooded heir. Heheh...I, the Darkness, Kurayami, will live in your two sons as the terrifying Osore no Tama...and my blade, my _soul_, will be their nightmare'."

"Wow..." Rin breathed, "that was intense!"

_And completely accurate,_ a certain silver-haired dog demon bitterly thought.

"Around the same period of time," Myouga alleviated Sesshoumaru's tension by changing the subject, "Midoriko encountered a fully recovered Onigumo...except that he was no longer human, but a half-demon named Naraku."

"He suddenly morphed into a half-demon?" The cinnamon-eyed teen cocked her head. _Heh, can I transform into a ninja turtle?_ It would be totally awesome!

"He sold his soul to a band of demons since he was dying and desired to live. Naraku was more evil than Kurayami was and wanted to kill Midoriko, perhaps because she was a threat to him. She had no choice but to fight him for seven days and seven nights. On the last night, she knew she was going to perish, and bound herself to Naraku, creating the Shikon no Tama."

"That blasted Naraku!" Jaken yelled. He was very emotional today... "Midoriko was only able to bind his dark human soul to hers in the damn jewel! In that manner, Naraku became a _full_ demon! What a foolish human!"

"So both Midoriko and Kurayami tragically died." Sesshoumaru was the opposite of Jaken, however; he was cold and calculating. "Continue." Apparently, this 'brief' history lesson was either affecting him...or becoming very boring.

"This story is getting long..." Rin groaned and leaned back against the couch. "Do I come in yet?"

"Actually...you do!" Myouga said. "The Shikon no Tama was bequeathed to someone—to this day, I still don't know whom—to protect it, but it was one day handed to is true keeper: Lady Kagome."

* * *

**A/N: END! **


	33. Perfect Servant

**A/N: HEY!**

* * *

**Oh My Gods! 33**

* * *

_...Recap..._

"Onigumo sold his soul to a band of demons since he was dying and desired to live. Naraku was more evil than Kurayami was and wanted to kill Midoriko, perhaps because she was a threat to him. She had no choice but to fight him for seven days and seven nights. On the last night, she knew she was going to perish, and bound herself to Naraku, creating the Shikon no Tama."

"That blasted Naraku!" Jaken yelled. He was very emotional today... "Midoriko was only able to bind his dark human soul to hers in the damn jewel! In that manner, Naraku became a _full_ demon! What a foolish human!"

"So both Midoriko and Kurayami tragically died." Sesshoumaru was the opposite of Jaken, however; he was cold and calculating. "Continue." Apparently, this 'brief' history lesson was either affecting him...or becoming very boring.

"This story is getting long..." Rin groaned and leaned back against the couch. "Do I come in yet?"

"Actually...you do!" Myouga said. "The Shikon no Tama was bequeathed to someone—to this day, I still don't know whom—to protect it, but it was one day handed to is true keeper: Lady Kagome."

_...End Recap..._

Rin sat upright again. "Kagome? _Our_ Kagome?" Who would've thought? _Lady Kagome—I should start calling her that!_ Knowing the miko, she'd become flustered.

Myouga merely nodded. "It seemed that Midoriko's soul lived in both Lady Kagome, a very powerful miko, and you, Lady Rin, a very compassionate human. Kurayami, as promised, lived in Lord Sesshoumaru, who developed feelings for a human, and in Lord Inuyasha, whose rejection from the world allowed bitterness to dwell in his heart."

Sesshoumaru developing feelings for a human?! The couple on the couch shared a look. They weren't talking about it..._ever_. Nope. It was as though Myouga had never said it.

"Poor Mama Yasha..." Rin sighed. It was true she was compassionate—already she wanted to find him and hug the life out of him! Instead, she hugged her fiancé's arm, rubbing her cheek against it comfortingly.

Sesshoumaru just pretended she wasn't there...

"Ok, I'm getting tired of this so here's the condensed version. You all meet as destined and become mates, Naraku returns, blah blah blah, he wants to kill everyone and destroy the Shikon no Tama, more blah, the four of you join powers—the combined powers of Kurayami and Midoriko—and seal Naraku, but the loss of energy killed you. The end."

"That was a great way to end it, toadman..."

"Be quiet, human!"

Rin stuck her tongue out at the foolish imp, yet then became solemn. "So...we died. Then how are we alive now?"

Myouga took out a mini handkerchief from his pocket and dabbed his eyes with it. "Lord InuTaishou and Lady Izayoi could not allow your triumph over Naraku to pass with so many grievances, since your lives weren't the only ones lost. Therefore, they combined their strength and changed time to five years in the past, erasing only the memories of _you_ four. But in doing so, they sacrificed their lives."

"Are you saying my father _didn't_ die when I was nine? He _wasn't_ killed by Takemaru of Setsuna?" Sesshoumaru inquired, recalling the dream he had about five months ago involving a long lecture with his father. In all of his memories—or what he had of them—his father was absent except for the first nine years of his life.

What in the world did that mean?

He swore his father battled a man, who was obsessed with Izayoi, to the death! And prior to that altercation, his father fought a dragon named Ryuukotsusei and sustained grave injuries!

"No, he wasn't killed—Takemaru of Setsuna never possessed a dimension blade, either. _You_ actually died _before_ he did, m'lord," Jaken answered, and upon seeing his master quirk his thin dark brow, he elaborated. "Some of your memories, along with the other jewel keepers, were fabricated to keep you safe."

Rin sharply inhaled. _So...my memories can all be fake..._ Meaning...perhaps at some point she _had_ been adopted...and Rima could've existed and... _Too much information._ She could've lived happily without discovering any of this. _Well, at least now I know why I can't remember Sesshoumaru, Inuyasha, and Kagome. _

"It would explain many things, then." The 'awakening', their loss of memory, the loveable coincidences... Sesshoumaru was no longer forced to blow up this academy searching for the answers he desired. "At some point we will remember our past lives, correct?"

Myouga and Jaken shared a knowing glance prior to the flea demon responding, "It is a gradual process, however. You'll mostly remember through dreams."

_Oh my gods..._ Rin was seconds away from fainting again. _My dream could've been a memory! _She had an ugly feeling it truly _was_ a memory... Time to change the topic! "So, this Naraku guy...is he still alive?"

Jaken rolled his eyes. "Meimori recently unsealed him...that stupid dimwit..."

"I knew I should've killed him..." It was one of the mistakes the dog demon had to live with, unfortunately. "And I'm assuming the powers of Kurayami and Midoriko must combine again in order to destroy Naraku?" His life was so predictable lately!

Since when was Sesshoumaru a goddamn superhero? _Inuyasha_ was the one with the superhero complex! He'd rather be a neutral person or at _least_ a villain, dammit! _This is what happens when I let Rin hang around me too often_... Hmph.

"Wait—how do you guys know we won't die again?" It was the whole reason why they were back in time, right? Or that was what Rin supposed. _The past_—_or future, whatever_—_repeats itself, you dumb butts. _

Heheh...dumb butts... Wow, she was _really_ sick.

"It's virtually uncertain, human. We're hoping—"

"_Hope_ will not guarantee our lives." Sesshoumaru murderously glowered at his retainer, who shrunk away from him, already feeling bruises forming on his green skin. His master was so powerful; a mere glare efficiently punished his servant.

Myouga seemed to ponder it...but not for long. "Hmm...perhaps not. Oh well! I sense that you've all awakened—one last battle against Naraku will take place in the near future."

"What does 'awakened' entail, in the first place?" Rin asked, cocking her head. It was a question on Sesshoumaru's mind, as well, so he paid close attention.

"Your future selves were—I mean _are_ powerful...extremely powerful. However, there is no time to wait for five years to pass so that you may all reach that potential. So, what InuTaishou and Izayoi did was keep your abilities dormant until the time was right. Now you can all access the powers of Midoriko and Kurayami. We should celebrate!"

Myouga could run off and celebrate for what Rin and Sesshoumaru cared...

"Geez, I hate all of these explanations," Rin sighed, gripping her throbbing head, "Inuyasha and Kagome are going to have fun listening to this."

"Hmph. Inuyasha might kill Myouga for keeping it from him..." Just as the dog demon might kill Jaken for lying to him...grr, he was still angry about it! Hey, for some odd reason, Jaken was being really quiet...

He knew something else that he was hiding!

At long last, an invisible light bulb flashed above a certain flea demon's head as he remembered this little something. "Oh! I almost forgot the reason we came here!"

Sesshoumaru flexed his claws. He was getting pissed off again... "So it _wasn't_ to tell me you both lied about my and Inuyasha's amnesia?" Uh oh...those cold, perfectly round golden honey eyes narrowed into dangerous slits...

Bring out the microwaves!

"Nope! Seiryuu is coming to visit his nephews! I believe he is already in this realm, too..."

_What?!_ His uncle was visiting him?! NO! Why hadn't these damn retainers told him sooner?! "If you have any last words, flea...say them _now_."

"Lady Rin! Protect me!"

Sesshoumaru's hand shot forward to squeeze the life out of the damn insect demon, but Myouga evaded his capture by jumping inside Rin's...well...err...

"He is just asking for death..." Jaken tsked while shaking his head, glad Myouga was being beaten for once and not him. "Thank gods for that."

**"MYOUGA!!!"** Rin shrieked and shot off the couch faster than a bullet. All the while, Sesshoumaru followed after her, growling like a savage beast of course, and Jaken made sure to hide in the kitchen where it was momentarily safe. "GET **OUT** OF MY **SHIIIRT!"**

A perverted flea demon was practically molesting her! _EWW!!!_

"Cowardice vermin bastard!" A certain dog demon wasn't having the best of days...

And then came a muffled reply along with a content chuckle... "It's actually kind of warm in here...what soft brea—"

**"GRRR!!!"** **THUD!**

**"WHAT THE HELL?!?!" **

"I'm scared, m'lady!"

First a flea decided to escape a beating and jump inside her shirt, then her fiancé tackled her in a fit of rage—what next?! Rin glared up at her fiancé, who was searching for the object of his fury in her shirt—oh hell no! _He is __**not**__ going under my shirt! _

"Sesshoumaru, you have **three** seconds to get off of me!" He wasn't budging one bit until Myouga jumped out of her shirt, though.

"One..." Myouga was wriggling around her bra and it tickled the crap out of her...ew...

"Two..." Sesshoumaru's eyes bled crimson for a moment...

"Thre—"

Rin's countdown was interrupted by a muffled voice. "I'm getting pretty hungry in here... You wouldn't mind if I have a quick breakfast, would you, Lady Rin?"

"You're _more_ than dead, flea!"

And Sesshoumaru just _had_ to forget who he was dealing with as jammed his hand under his fiancée's pajama shirt. However...Myouga was a step ahead of him since he already bounced off towards the kitchen to hide around Jaken. He left a pissed off Rin and Sesshoumaru behind in the living room.

It took a while for the silver-haired immortal to realize what he was doing, and he glanced down at his fiancée, whose cinnamon eyes burned like the fires of hell. His gaze then lowered to the hand under her shirt...specifically over a certain area on her chest...

He blinked. She twitched.

"Are you getting off any time soon?" Rin's voice was absolutely deadly...yet calm. It was a bad omen if she was smooth and collected instead of berserk. _Very_ bad.

Sesshoumaru knew she'd beat the crap out of him the moment he complied. So he stayed where he was for as long as he could. Their position wasn't all that bad, actually...

That was...until his sixth sense—the one which sensed immortal energy levels and auras—picked up on a strange occurrence near by. He slowly retracted his hand, but stopped his fiancée from standing, if only to have a moment of peace before she pounded him.

Because he completed his necklace, Sesshoumaru was able to descry an area in a short amount of time, unlike Inuyasha, who was of lower rank. Descrying meant reaching into his subconscious mind and ascending out of his body to look over a place or being from a whole new level. With this ability, he could discern the presence of various immortals in this realm, as well as potential dangers and enemies.

Well...there was definitely a _large_ concentration of energy coming from the forest close by...an explosion of harmful energy only known to those controlled by nazu—oh no...

_Shit! It's coming from Inuyasha!_ Gods, and Kagome had gone after him! She was in danger—his brother was currently a freakin' bomb of explosive energy, especially with what occurred last night! Shit!!!

His eyes widened and he stood up without another word. Even Rin noticed something was wrong when he immediately bounded out the door, not bothering to close it. She blinked rapidly in confusion, and sat up while fixing her shirt.

_Kagome runs off in search of Inuyasha and now Sesshoumaru runs off in search of... _It suddenly clicked. The wheels in her head were turning. _Something bad is happening—it involves Kagome and Inuyasha...Sessh sensed it. _

Rin then dashed after him without a second thought.

**

* * *

**

Victory. He loved victory so much he should marry it.

He felt like humming as he walked down the hall in his palace—yes, his palace and no one else's. The corridor was dimly lit and was more of a path to one's demise in a prison, but he hardly minded. Heck, he preferred darkness in the hall ways; his demonic night vision allowed him to.

Oh well—he was still victorious. Why?

Hmph. He just captured the untamable Wind.

Naraku smirked to himself as he pulled open a door to a secluded room in an empty wing in his palace, one in which servants—or slaves—weren't bustling about. Who needed servants? Of course, Meimori was incapable of living without people catering to his every whim...

Either way, he stepped into the dark room and ventured into the darkness until he approached a section lit by the moonlight filtering in through a small window stationed high on a stone wall. A figure was standing in the middle of the rays of moonlight...

No, the figure was chained to the wall and was _forced_ to stand.

The demon god halted his leisure stroll in front of the figure, and his lips curved into a wide grin. He was proud of himself for not using Kanna to achieve his goals this time around.

"Kagura..." She asked for this torture by daring to fall for Meimori and seeking to protect him. If he permitted her feelings to grow stronger, then ere long, she'd expose his manipulation of the dog demon and ruin everything he strove for.

What was it that he desired? It couldn't be power; he had enough of it. Wealth...what could he do with money?

No.

He desired vengeance...he desired to taste the blood of the fools who sealed him.

Naraku knew about InuTaishou and Izayoi's meddling. He also knew that the four souls of the jewels finally awakened and planned to put an end to him. But he'd strike before them. It was a promise.

First...he'd use Meimori to defeat Sesshoumaru, or at least weaken him, for the damn dog was the strongest of the four keepers. Perhaps Meimori would also weaken Inuyasha for him...wasn't he supposed to bring the hanyou to this realm and remove Kurayami's soul?

His father, Seiryuu, wished to revive Kurayami using Inuyasha and Sesshoumaru. He definitely needed to be careful with him...

In that case, Inuyasha and Kagome would be taken care of personally—they were the only ones who had the information of the Shikon no Tama's location. If the jewel was destroyed...then Midoriko's soul would also banish. As a result, Kagome and Rin would be rendered powerless.

Kagome was a threat since she was a priestess...

Rin possessed the ability to heal...hm...

...but to what extent?

"I have a use for you, Kagura..." There was no response from the figure chained to the wall; her body barely twitched. Not that Naraku expected her to respond, anyway.

She appeared to be dangling from the wall, since she wasn't even trying to remain standing with her chains. Her head had lolled forward, leaning above her chest, hiding her expression from view. His crimson eyes analyzed her face as he reached to lift her chin up.

Blank.

It was literally blank.

The wind sorceress would have glared at him murderously for imprisoning her, but she merely gazed back with dull ruby eyes. She actually had pupils, albeit scarlet ones that melded with the ruby, though they were currently absent, leaving her irises bare. Her pale lips were slightly parted due to her slack muscles.

All in all, she looked like a zombie.

Naraku tsked and sighed in dismay. "You shouldn't have thought of betraying me, my traitorous Kagura. Hm...you almost warned Sesshoumaru about what Meimori had in store for Rin... Preposterous."

Since she had a feeble heart...

...he removed it.

Kagura was currently heartless, soulless...she felt nothing, she heard nothing...she loved nothing...

She was now no better than Kanna emotion-wise.

"Well, now you're the perfect servant..." Naraku whispered, running his clawed fingers over the demoness's pale cheeks; colorless...without a hint of red. He was transfixed by his power of completely erasing the essence of a free-spirited person. "_My_ faithful servant. And you have an assignment..."

Yes...in his plans of dominating the immortal realm, of seeking vengeance, Sesshoumaru, Inuyasha, and Kagome were all taken care of—they will simply die. Especially Kagome, since she could purify him in an instant while the brothers could put up a good fight.

But...where did Rin fit into all of this?

If she could truly heal with her voice from what he could remember of their past lives...then wouldn't she be a great asset to him? There was no other person in the immortal realm who knew the songs of healing like she did—how the girl was able to accomplish it probably dated back to Midoriko's time roaming the realms.

And it would just be _so_ heartbreaking to use Rin against her own mate...

Naraku smiled as his crimson eyes glittered at the thought. _Poor Sesshoumaru._ "So, Kagura, you will test Rin's limits...see what else she can do with her voice. And as for Meimori...I'll let him bring Rin to the dark side..."

But not as Rima...because Meimori's dreams of reviving her were impossible.

**

* * *

**

He was beautiful...

She fell onto her knees, out of breath. Her fingers dug into the brown soil beneath her as a method of providing stability, and she barely noticed her tears creating a small pool in the indentations her knuckles left behind. She struggled to fill her lungs with air, but as the moments passed, it became easier.

Yet...she could care less about all this.

He was just so beautiful...

...and she would be damned before she lost him.

"Ka...Kagome..."

Her chocolate eyes smiled at him, since her lips were too numb. They took in the way the rays of the rising sun bathed him in an ethereal light, making his lightly tanned skin glow like the god he was. His eyes...his eyes glistened, round in surprise, pupils dilated in shock.

Gods, they were clear windows to his soul, to his heart...

She saw his inner battle, how he desired to flee without ever looking back yet couldn't stand the thought of leaving her. But he was powerful...enchanting...there was still so much she had yet to learn about him.

And then Kagome realized she actually never took a good look at him. She did so now.

Her eyes followed his unruly silver bangs and his thick, long tresses framing his silhouette. They raked across his tense brow, his flushed cheeks... The curve of his throat; smooth and strong...her lips longed to test the smoothness of his neck.

Would he shrink from her due to its sensitivity?

His heavy intakes of air caused his chest to expand, and she envisioned the mass of toned muscle concentrated there from years of training. He had no extra ounce of fat on his body—he was lean, and in some aspects, slender.

Then her eyed drifted to his arms, which beheld his hidden strength. It was amazing to feel them wrapped around her...always protective... She would return his embrace by encircling his narrow waist, drawing him to her, allowing his warmth to enclose her. Alas, his long, nimble legs allowed him to stand at least a foot taller than her.

Gods, he was the most beautiful specimen in the world—a god. A hanyou god. A half-immortal hanyou god who meant the world to her.

And she wouldn't lose him.

"Inuyasha..." His name sounded like a sigh of bliss. Perhaps they shared their number of differences, perhaps there existed times when she couldn't stand to be in the same room as him, but she was a fool to take him for granted.

Kagome only saw her sacrifices before her eyes: how she abandoned dreams of marrying for love, forsook her friends, relinquished a life familiar to her...

Yet...Inuyasha sacrificed the most of all: his home.

He had to travel all the way here to the immortal realm, only to be thrust into a world of change upon change. He was forced to learn new concepts and expected to live among mortals with strange inventions and lifestyles. He tolerated this new experience that was _far_ from familiar and barely fought against his mother's dying wishes.

Surely he missed his homeland, where he wasn't restricted by rules of society and such. Surely he missed it where abundant lands weren't tarnished by buildings and the air wasn't polluted. Surely he missed the life he used to live, in control of himself, free to do as he pleased.

Did he ever complain about it? Sure he did. He just never made it known.

It was so easy to disregard his feelings on the matter when he restrained from reacting the way she did. Hmph, from their first day together, Kagome rejected the notion of marrying him.

In contrary, he accepted it.

And all he did from thereon was adhere to what _she_ wanted him to do.

Her tears clustered to form rivers trailing down her cheeks. They blurred her eyesight and caught her breath in a sob. Soon enough, her body convulsed along with her weeping, but she deserved all the sorrow in the world.

Even so...strong arms enveloped her.

Kagome gasped when she found herself flush against her hanyou's chest, her head tucked underneath his chin as he held her. The fact that Inuyasha hadn't turned from her instantly finished dissolving the dam barricading her emotions; her tears resumed while her sobs lengthened.

Time passed...it was unknown how long they grasped each other like a thread tying them to their lives. It hardly mattered. Not now.

Once she grabbed a hold of herself, the miko pulled back and stared into Inuyasha's eyes, which were pained to see her so desolate...pained because he incited her agony. She wished to erase his pain, but didn't know what to say.

What was she supposed to say after what just occurred? What _did_ just occur?

Nothing, really.

He lost control of his raging energy, unleashed it in a dangerous explosion, and she purified it all in one large backlash of miko power. Basically, her unconscious attack cancelled his like positives and negatives.

So...he hadn't hurt her. She hadn't hurt him.

Everything should be okay...but it wasn't. Not since yesterday.

Somehow, Kagome needed to let him know that she realized how childish she was. Yet, words died on her tongue. Perhaps this was why most eighteen-year olds didn't marry—they just weren't ready to wholly accept partners into their lives and be willing to sacrifice a bit of themselves as well as embrace change.

Hmph. She'd be lying if she said she miraculously transformed into an 'Inuyasha-centered, wife-material, non-selfish' eighteen year-old. No, she was only _recently_ enlightened.

Merely time could tell how much she would change starting from this day.

But he needed to know she wouldn't fail him again....no, she wasn't losing him again and vice versa.

_Never._

"Damn, why do I always show up during a romantic moment? My first time, Sesshoumaru was about to make-out with Rin, and now you two are like crying in each other's arms! 'Oh, Inuyasha! I'm so sorry! Don't leave me! Of course I'll have your twenty pups!' It's disgusting! Bleh!"

Meimori...what a bastard!

Inuyasha and Kagome glared at the ranting dog demon once he jumped down from a tree branch he had lounged on. How long had he been watching them?! Neither of them sensed his presence; not a whiff of his scent, energy level, aura, youki—nothing!

The inuyoukai tsked in pity, circling them like prey. His apathetic silver eyes narrowed with his cocky smirk. "Not that I mind ruining a tender moment. But I was hoping to catch you alone, cousin."

Inuyasha was _pissed_. He stood up from the ground in rage and snarled at his damn cousin like a rabid dog; hell, his eyes were slowly bleeding crimson. If there was a moment he wished to lose control of his fucking energy, it would be **now** dammit! GAH!

No wonder Sesshoumaru despised Meimori!

"I'm not in the fucking mood for your shit, Mei-bitch, so why don't you go hide under your bastard father's skirt and leave me in fucking peace?" The hanyou bared his fangs at the older demon, daring him to test his patience.

Kagome stood up right behind him, warily eyeing the rather amused dark-haired demon god. "Why are you here, Meimori?" She tried to make her voice steady and calm, yet it was impossible to mask her apprehension.

"Thank you for asking so politely, Kagome! You're not rude like my dear cousin over here." Meimori glowered at the aforementioned hanyou, who snarled in warning. "Wow, I guess you're really not in the mood to play."

"Shut the fuck **UP!!!"**

"Listen, cousin, I'd love to stay and chat but I need to hurry up. Sooo..."

In one swift movement, like fluid water dancing along a surface, Meimori unsheathed his Aotoki sword and impaled Inuyasha in the abdomen before either he or his miko could move a muscle. His expression was deadpan instead of amused as he withdrew his blade, allowing his cousin's weakened form to crumple to the ground.

"Hmm...seems like the paralysis spell is working. Listening to Kizurei's three-hour rants finally has its use," the immortal muttered, gazing down at his immobile cousin. "Poor puppy, you can't move a muscle."

Kagome was having a hard time processing recent events. It required no description, no exaggeration, no drama; it was as though Meimori merely lifted his arm to point at a thief. Except in reality he impaled his cousin and rendered him immobile.

And that was it. The end. Now she was going to lose him after she vowed not to.

Losing him...she was losing him again...oh gods no...

She was in so much shock that she couldn't stop the demon god from slinging his injured cousin onto his shoulder.

"Well, cousin Kagome, if you need anything...that's just too bad. See ya later!" He turned around to disappear where he came from...

...but a silver handgun pressed firmly against his forehead halted his departure.

Meimori's silver eyes widened. "Kikyou..." Damn his luck! _Of all the times she—argh! _

The mahogany-eyed woman sustained unveiled an expression promising a swift death; of course, she had the ability to purify him with only one spirit bullet. "Unlike Kagome, I'm not letting you take off with Inuyasha. Now _that's_ just too bad."

* * *

**A/N: OMG! I don't know what to say so...um...ow. My damn tooth hurts! **

Next chappie:** We learn about Kikyou and the Gunslingers and what they have to do with everything! Miroku and Sango finally show up along with Kouga and Ayame! Seiryuu visits Sesshoumaru! **

**Sooo...how is Meimori going to react when he finds out about Kagura? Why is Kikyou so bitchy? Will Inu and Kags ever get to talk about their feelings? Will Rin truly be useful to Naraku? What will Seiryuu say to Sesshoumaru? How is he going to revive Kurayami? Why didn't Jaken explode? What's Yuka doing right now? Why does Naraku like to manipulate people to make life easier for himself? **

**Don't forget Seiryuu collected blood from the group of four five months ago...he still needs to use it... **

**Thanks to all those who reviewed! I love you! **

**NOW REVIEW TO MAKE MY TOOTH STOP HURTING! OWWW!!!! I'M NOT GOING TO NO FREAKIN' DENTIST!**


	34. Malek

**A/N: WOOT! I'M ALIVE!!! THANKS TO GINGER ALE AND BROWNIES!!! Gods, I love brownies... :-D IF YOU'RE IN THE **Inuyasha Fanguild** VOTE FOR THIS STORY AS BEST AU!! SHOW SOME LOVE! Voting begins February 15!**

**Thanks to those of you who nominated and seconded me, specifically **Kitz-the-Kitsune** and **Catlover260**! This chappie is dedicated to **fangremtom2--**half of your ideas are in this chapter and in the next, I promise! **

**Anyway, guess what? I'm getting a freakin' root canal in ten days and I'm terrified of dentists! Like, I'm nearly PHOBIC! I AM GOING TO DIE!!! :-( **

**So, sorry for the late update. I recently got into reading yaoi manga for some reason... If any of you are yaoi fans out there, read **Junjou Romantica** on mangafox. com! It's great, corny, romantic, funny, and fluffy! :-D **

**And this review belongs to someone... **'A Mere Observer'**...**

Alright, first off, this story is just one big fat cliché after another.  
Poor bored high school girl wishes for more adventure in her life. Poor bored  
high school girl mysteriously encounters magical hottie. Poor bored high  
school girl is actually a princess! OMG!

And even if I could bring myself to overlook the terribly formulaic nature of  
the story, that still wouldn't excuse the characterizations. They all read  
as flat and rather boring, mere pawns being moved about for your own amusement  
rather than actual characters with feelings and motives and depth.

Kagome is basically a lazy and malcontent bum. She whines about wanting more  
excitement in her life but doesn't do a darn thing about anything. Frankly  
it's hard to sympathize with her.

Inuyasha has no more depth to him than the fact that he's a god and he is  
mindlessly pursuing Kagome for no real reason. He seems more ridiculous than  
anything else.

Anyway, this story could use some major revisions. Work on it.

**I'm sorry you feel that way, **A Mere Observer**, IF you're still reading my 'big fat cliche' of a story. But this is what I have to say in return: **

**1. **KAGOME IS NOT A PRINCESS**. :-D If you **_read_** the story, Inuyasha only calls her a princess because he's a prince and she's his fiancee. That doesn't mean she was born into royalty and stuff. **

**2. **I'm** a poor bored high school girl, so obviously **my life will influence my writing**. There's nothing I can do about it, so I'm very sorry. And I love using characters to my own amusement, how did you know? :-D But that's what a fanfiction writer is all about: manipulating characters to how you want them to act, canon or not. If the outcome is a good story, then great. If not, well, the author must have enjoyed writing it. Besides, **I write as stress relief**--sorry if my laid-back personality causes my characters to lose 'emotional depth'. **

**3. Don't worry, Kagome! I'm a lazy bum so I sympathize! **

**4. Inuyasha is pursuing Kagome **not** because he likes her, but because **his loyalty to his mother is forcing him to**. I'm guessing you have to understand that Inuyasha **_**really**_** loves his mother and would do **_**anything**_** for her--remember, he wasn't born in a society with modern mortals like us where PSPs are preferred over parents. **

**5. **YOU DIDN'T READ PAST THE FIRST CHAPTER!!!!!!!

**Note to all of you readers out there and stuff. If you're going to review anonymously and critque my story, please make sure you **read past the first chapter**--it's the one with the most mistakes, I know. I've read stories with horrible first chapters but gave them a chance and they turned out to be the best stories I've ever read! **

DO NOT** write a review like this and leave me with no method of replying or justifying myself. I'm not going to chew you out and make fun of you or delete your review or whatever. I just want to talk--you know, heart to heart. **

**And you can all thank this review for your delayed update. I was busy taking his or her advise and revising the first chapter. Actually, **I revised almost this whole re-read **it! :-D **

**Anyway, the next time I get an anonymous review that criticizes my story with no actual proof (meaning, the **critic didn't even read the whole story to justify his or her critique**) I'm **not** acknowledging it. **At all**. And maybe I'll go back on my word and **delete** it. **

**No, I'm not being a bitch about it. I just want a way to talk things over so that I can get your honest opinion on how to make my story better. But you must hear the **author's view of the matter **as an online critic. Keep this in mind as you read other stories. :-D**

**Enjoy the chappie! **

* * *

**Oh My Gods! 34**

* * *

_...Recap..._

Kagome was having a hard time processing recent events. It required no description, no exaggeration, no drama; it was as though Meimori merely lifted his arm to point at a thief. Except in reality he impaled his cousin and rendered him immobile.

And that was it. The end. Now she was going to lose him after she vowed not to.

Losing him...she was losing him again...oh gods no...

She was in so much shock that she couldn't stop the demon god from slinging his injured cousin onto his shoulder.

"Well, cousin Kagome, if you need anything...that's just too bad. See ya later!" He turned around to disappear where he came from...

...but a silver handgun pressed firmly against his forehead halted his departure.

Meimori's silver eyes widened. "Kikyou..." Damn his luck! _Of all the times she—argh! _

The mahogany-eyed woman sustained unveiled an expression promising a swift death; of course, she had the ability to purify him with only one spirit bullet. "Unlike Kagome, I'm not letting you take off with Inuyasha. Now _that's_ just too bad."

_...End Recap..._

Meimori weighed his options as he stared through the nozzle of a silver handgun, which he fleetingly noted was handmade by the Gunslingers mercenary group. It was so easy to distract himself from the matter at hand...ah! Now he was back on track. He realized that if he confronted Kikyou, she'd kill him.

And then there was Kagome...

The dog demon turned around, only to come face to face with _another_ handgun. What the hell?! This time, there were _two_ sable black guns in his face, threatening to purify him with spirit bullets. His arctic silver eyes slowly followed the slender hands holding the guns...which led to arms covered by a pajama sweater...

...the owner of those arms was one _pissed_ off Kagome...

Damn, he should've remembered that she was stubborn as hell.

"Unlike Kikyou," the miko began in a deadly calm voice, her chocolate eyes flaring in warning, "I'm not waiting for you to escape. That's. Just. Too. Bad!"

**BANG! BANG! BANG!**

He wasted no time to erect his barrier, protecting himself from the onslaught of spirit bullets. Thank gods! The teen was furious; her entire hands were glowing pink, engulfing her two guns, which were _also_ products of the Gunslingers. Such a thing was impossible!

_When the hell did Kagome get those guns?! _Meimori growled and glanced back at a smirking Kikyou, and he deduced his answer almost instantly. _She summoned them for her. Damn bitch!_ At least, for some odd reason, she wasn't hell bent on killing him like Kagome was...

_Oh yeah, it's illegal for an immortal to kill in the mortal realm, so she's letting Kagome do all the work._ His cousin broke the law, right? Sesshoumaru should've punished him severely. _Rin took care of that, though. _Unfortunately.

How much longer could he hold a barrier? The strain wasn't taxing too much on his strength; the demon god was able to concentrate on leaving the area. However, before he could gather enough energy to transport himself out of this realm...

"You forgot one thing, cousin. I'm not as weak as I was before."

...Inuyasha decided to aid his fiancée's efforts.

All his silver eyes could see was a bright, golden light gradually growing stronger behind him, yet it was enough for Meimori to curse and literally throw his cousin away from him. But the hanyou merely suspended his body in air above him; with his eyes covered by a sheet of golden light, he blasted the older demon god.

**BOOM!** Not even his barrier could spare the dog demon!

"Dammit," Meimori groaned as he lied on the ground, covered by debris from the blast. He neglected to stand back up. _Why the hell didn't the paralysis spell work? _Was his cousin _that_ much stronger since his awakening? "Dammit!"

"I believe you should stand up, Meimori, because Kagome is still furious..." Kikyou crossed her arms, relishing in the current events. As it turned out, she barely moved a muscle and the demon god was already incapacitated.

Being a bystander was actually pretty fun...

"Hell yeah I'm pissed!" Kagome seemingly abandoned all rationality and kicked the demon in the gut, watching in perverse satisfaction as he growled in pain and curled his legs into his chest.

"What a baby," Inuyasha muttered as he watched the scene, no longer in midair. Perhaps he should be scared of the miko right now or wondering why Kikyou was here...but he couldn't help sniggering at his 'almighty' cousin. "Can't even take a beating from a girl..."

"Shut up! You're next!" When Kagome pointed a gun at him, the hanyou gulped and kept his mouth shut. _Yup, she's really pissed off._

The raven-haired teen made it impossible for Meimori to concentrate enough to escape; hell, she ended up straddling his chest to prevent him from leaving! No one could find humor—or perversion—in it when she shoved a gun in his face and had the other poised near his neck.

_Gods, she _has_ to be a dog demon in disguise!_ She was snarling at him! Teeth bared and everything! This was not Kagome—this was a kick-ass devil's incarnate! _Hmph, this is why girls should never play with guns. _

They were virtually driven insane with them.

"Stupid jerk! You think you can just come here, stab **my** fiancé, and leave with him like an innocent puppy? Hell no!" Kagome glared down at the dog demon, daring him to mutter the sarcastic remark nearly rolling off his tongue. "I want answers and I want them _now_."

Inuyasha blinked and cocked his head, baffled. The eighteen-year old miko was furious, yes, but she was also possessive of _him_—dear lord, of **him!** Usually it was the other way around! _So, she's mad because Meimori was going to kidnap me? _So that was why she disregarded Kikyou for the moment...

And yet, his heart fluttered with hope. It had been so long since he allowed himself to feel such a thing... Hope was an amazing sentiment that washed over him and eased his body's tension.

_Gods, she said 'my fiancé'!_ A smile curved his lips while the hanyou's golden eyes glittered. She wasn't breaking up with him! They were still engaged!

Not like they _could_ break up in the first place, but she was acknowledging their commitment to each other. After what occurred a few moments before _and_ yesterday, it was as good as forgiveness!

But things were still far from resolved...

Meimori scoffed at the miko, however, ignorant of his cousin's sigh of relief. "Or what? Are you going to kill me, my princess? It's bad enough I'm stuck with a rabid miko—" **WHAM!** "GAH! What the hell was that for, you crazy bitch?!" **WHAM! **"STOP!" **WHAM!** "ALRIGHT! I'll talk! Just stop!"

Inuyasha had to sympathize with his cousin, though, after Kagome slapped him with her guns, which he surmised were provided by Kikyou at the last minute. The poor hanyou knew the agony of being abused by furious, uptight priestesses with guns...

Kagome narrowed her chocolate eyes, yet made no move to hit Meimori again. Why was she so angry? Because no one, dammit, **no** one was allowed to hurt her hanyou in her _face _and run away unscathed!

She was sweet, she was kind, she was friendly—but a downright bitch when her property was threatened!

Err...when did she become so possessive?

_After this, I might enroll in rehab... _Well, at the moment, she was caught in the thrill of exercising power over an arrogant, jerk-faced demon god. Rin wasn't the only insane one when it came to defending her mate... _Yes, and Inuyasha is my mate—no matter what. _

Always.

Meimori paused to lick the blood from the corner of his lip; he couldn't count the number of times his fangs bit into his lip. _I hate priestesses._ His father warned him about Kagome, but he never listened. "Well? What do you expect me to do? Spill my guts? Tell you my heart-wrenching story? I'd bullshit it, anyway..."

"Why don't you tell her why you're here today, hm?" Kikyou, who was now comfortably leaned against a tree enjoying the show, suggested in an innocent tone of voice.

The dog demon snorted. "Why don't you stick your gun up your ass and die? I thought you were on my side, bitch!" She worked with him once and suddenly she switched sides! Talk about a two-faced backstabber!

_I'm gonna kill Kagura for telling her about my plans! GRR! _Yeah, he could pretend he was really mad at her...

"I'm neutral, remember? That's the whole reason why I joined the Gunslingers." She shrugged as if it was no big deal. Truthfully, it wasn't. Kikyou fought with whomever she deemed it necessary.

The end.

"Are you saying the Gunslingers—Bankotsu and that sick bastard Jakotsu," Inuyasha shuddered as he said the abhorred man's name, "_aren't_ evil?"

Kagome was also having trouble accepting it. She battled Kikyou about four months ago; her pains and misery during the fight couldn't all be due to the woman's passion for combat! _Hmph, yeah, like Kikyou has a passion for anything._

Again, the purple/black-haired miko shrugged indifferently. "They're mercenaries—they join whichever side pays them the most. In our prior altercation, Meimori paid quite a hefty sum of money for them to fight you."

"Keh! Fuck that—they _wanted_ to _kill_ me!" He could still feel his bruises from that battle...grr! Inuyasha _hated_ Jakotsu's snake sword and never desired to see it again—the damn weapon nearly caused his death!

Not to mention the fact that Jakotsu creepily _hit_ on him and threatened to _kill_ him at the same time...it was disturbing...

"But they failed to kill you, anyway," Meimori sighed with a frown plastered on his handsome face, "and my pocket had a huge dent afterwards. My poor, long lost money..." **WHAM!** "STOP HITTING ME!"

"Those freaky jerks almost _killed_ my fiancé! And if it wasn't for Rin, Sesshoumaru would be dead! Obviously you can't imagine the stressful day we suffered after that battle!" **WHAM!** "Asshole! You should be ashamed of yourself!"

Then again...that certain 'stressful' day was the same one in which Kagome instigated her first _real_ make out session with Inuyasha... Hmph, there was no need to start blushing in front of her captive, though...

Kikyou ignored the trio of imbeciles when Meimori muttered another insensitive comment—this time about her blush—causing Kagome to brazenly smack him with her gun numerous times while Inuyasha tried in vain to haul her off his 'dying' cousin. Her mahogany eyes, however, flitted across the clearing and soon settled on a large tree situated behind the arguing group.

A smirk formed on her attractive face and she finally banished her guns. Weapons were no longer required, because any future altercation would be prevented by a much stronger combatant. _I guess it's time to leave._

"—and you wish you had a girlfriend! She'd probably be as freaky as—huh?" Kagome suddenly stopped in mid-rant, much to a certain dog demon's relief, and stared at her confused fiancé. "I feel...weird...like I'm—AH!"

"Kagome!" She was floating! How the hell was she able to float five feet above Meimori?! And it wasn't the bastard's doing because he lacked the energy to summon even a _spark_ of energy!

Inuyasha growled once she was placed as far away from Meimori as possible—he now knew who was responsible. The identity of the person was who would desire to protect someone like his merciless cousin was unmistakable... "Kizurei! Show yourself, asshole!"

"Wow, why are you all so pissy today? I think everyone here needs a ten minute break with cookies included." The lavender-eyed dog demon stepped away from the tree he had hid behind and smiled at his annoyed cousin. "Actually, I could go for some cookies right about now..."

Strangely, instead of sporting his battle outfit, he was wearing a dark purple button-up shirt and black slacks—_mortal_ clothing. Inuyasha and Kagome cocked their heads simultaneously in confusion. Since when did Kizurei copy modern fashion?!

"Kikyou!" Kizurei grinned and nodded towards the reticent miko, who walked up behind the befuddled couple. "Thanks for stalling! Oh, and give Miroku and Sango my thanks, as well."

**"WHAT?!"** The others in the forest, including a sitting upright Meimori, shouted in disbelief. It couldn't be! Kikyou and Kizurei were working together! The apocalypse was coming!

"Hm...I'll make sure to remember," she replied, her voice laced in apathy, and the miko placed a hand on the shoulders of Inuyasha and Kagome. They immediately tensed. "We'll be back in a few days. Did you take care of their absentee forms?"

What in the world were they talking about? It was lost on the hanyou and miko.

Kizurei nodded. "Don't worry about matters over here—everything is set." He turned to his cousins and beamed at them, though the others noted he looked more like a mischievous puppy than an ultimately powerful dog demon. "Have fun training, you two!"

Kagome frowned. _This is getting _way_ too weird..._ "What do you mean by tha—?"

In a split second, Kikyou, Inuyasha, and Kagome disappeared without a trace. Not even their footprints were left on the grass! Meimori quickly stood from the ground and gaped; he was completely incredulous. He stared at his younger brother before slowly shaking his head, as though ridding himself of painful thoughts.

"You're a straight up dick, Rei. You knew I was coming here...you knew all about my plans and you told Kikyou to stop me..." His first thought was to accuse Kagura, but it turned out she was innocent.

Well, it was hard to believe his own _twin_ would sink so low. No, he was only doing what he seemed fit. They were enemies, weren't they?

Meimori furiously rejected that notion. His little brother would always be his little brother.

Kizurei shrugged and moved to stand beside the elder dog demon, sighing as he shoved his hands in his pant pockets. "Look, Mei, I just can't let you do anything stupid while our father is close by."

"What? He's here?!" His arctic silver eyes widened as he gasped. "Fuck! What the hell is _he_ doing here?!"

"You already know what he's after, dumbass!" Yes, it wasn't a secret. The time Lady Izayoi foretold was quickly approaching; of course their master would hasten to prepare. "He met up with Sesshoumaru. I think it's too late for him."

Meimori mulled over this tidbit of information. The first step in his father's plan was to separate Inuyasha and Sesshoumaru from their chosen mates. Because Kikyou basically abducted the hanyou and his miko, they couldn't be divided...

...but, Sesshoumaru and Rin...

Now he understood why Kizurei did what he did. If he had taken Inuyasha as planned, he would've unintentionally initiated his father's plot, and it was his goal to do the complete opposite. Besides, the hanyou hardly cared about his uncle—convincing him to leave to the immortal realm without his miko would have been difficult, anyway.

Yet...Sesshoumaru was a different case altogether. The bastard was stubborn as hell, sure, but unlike his brother, he cared more about his kingdom than prancing around like a berserk idiot. He comprehended his duty to the Western Lands, and if need be, he'd abandon all else to attain his throne.

His master solely required was the right order of words and Sesshoumaru would depart for the immortal realm immediately. It was unacceptable, however, because Rin was incapable of travelling to the immortal realm on her own unlike Kagome, even though the latter teen was unaware of the actual method.

_Dammit...at this rate, Father is going to get his revenge on Uncle InuTaishou sooner than expected..._ He had to prevent it, somehow! But then...what about his own desires? If he truly yearned to revive Rima, then he would be sacrificing Rin...which was the same as separating her from Sesshoumaru.

Either way...he was still initiating his father's plans. _Dammit, I lose at all possible angles. _

"Come on, Mei, I know exactly where they are."

The dog demon snapped out of his thoughts and faced his brother, who was already walking away from the clearing. "Are you suggesting we spy on our master? If we're caught, we're dead."

"Inuyasha never noticed our presence and he's much stronger than before. I suppose my new spell is successful, huh?" Kizurei smiled again, exposing his childlike delight in anything dealing with the ancient immortal language. His brother shook his head in pity. "Mei! This is our chance—don't waste it! He won't notice us, I promise!"

"And what if he does?"

"I'll accept full blame."

"Well, in _that_ case..." Meimori smirked and ruffled the younger demon's sable hair, much to his disgruntlement. "Lead the way, Rei! Oh, and I _hope_ you're not caught..."

He received a glare in response. "Anyone who denies you're a manipulative bastard is a goddamn liar."

No doubt about it.

**

* * *

**

Sesshoumaru sensed the precise moment his brother and his miko ceased to exist in the mortal realm, meaning that they escaped to the immortal realm. He also sensed the precise moment his uncle decided to materialize in front of him, preventing him from investigating the unmistakable explosion of his brother's energy.

But he never sensed this precise moment coming at him from afar.

The moment when he would have to submit to his superior..._again_...

"It's been a long time, hasn't it, malek?"

Malek: a derogatory word in the immortal tongue related to subordinate, inferior, junior, servant, slave... His uncle always used that term to refer to his nephew—never had he directly or indirectly included him as a member of his family, his royal bloodline.

Sesshoumaru's eyes narrowed. He was beneath no one, so he shouldn't be treated as such.

Not even by his own uncle...

Yet, he bit his tongue, forbidding the retort sitting on its tip from voicing itself. It was unbecoming of him to lose his cool composure—to express anger or distaste was merely adhering to the fact that his uncle won the battle to irk him. The dog demon was no fool in his relative's game.

Of course, he had been playing it for years.

"I see that you've forgotten your custom among mortals," the silver-eyed dog demon murmured in his smooth, deep voice, the corner of his lips rising in a lazy smirk. "Don't fret; I'll allow you to redeem yourself."

Sesshoumaru knew what his uncle was suggesting. In his culture—his royal family's way of life—any insubordinate was supposed to kneel in the presence of those of high rank. It was common courtesy or polite to do so, even if it meant diminishing one's pride. To refuse to kneel was an overt form of disrespect and punishable insolence.

Granted, both he and his uncle were rank ten demon gods, but...

...until he became King of the Western Lands, he was still beneath the brother of the late ruler.

Seiryuu watched his nephew closely, waiting with his smirk still firmly planted on his handsome face for the younger demon to bend on one knee. Seconds ticked by and he did nothing of the sort. Sesshoumaru's honey eyes only narrowed even further as he stood his ground, stubborn like a proud dog should be.

Unacceptable...it was solely unacceptable...

"Malek, you do not have the power to refuse me. Unlike that half-breed brother of yours, your mother disciplined you. _Kneel_."

The golden-eyed dog demon silently ground his teeth. Why did he have to mention his mother? She was in league with him, no doubt; ever since she married his father, she sided with Seiryuu in punishing him for his disobedience. 'Discipline him, Seiryuu' or 'respect your uncle' would always come from _her_ mouth, not his father's.

In simple terms, she ruined his life. He couldn't think about her without feeling the urge to wring her neck. Dangerous thoughts...dangerous feelings...dangerous...

She evoked danger from him...

"What is it that you seek, uncle?" Sesshoumaru opted instead for ignoring the matter at hand. He absolutely _denied_ the part of him deeply rooted to his past of perfect obedience the right to force his body to kneel in front of a _bastard_.

"Hmph. This is what your human bitch has done to you," Seiryuu sighed in dismay, treading closer to his frozen still nephew. His arctic eyes narrowed in consideration, assessing the younger demon's apathetic façade, which he had perfected in his later teen years. "Are you positive you wish to defy me?"

Sesshoumaru dared not to utter a word. Childhood memories caused his heart to race, and he knew that his uncle was aware of it. Of course, he was not afraid of Seiryuu—it was impossible for him, a complete demon god with ultimate power, to be frightened like a weaning pup.

No...it was those damn memories that summoned terror within him...

"Answer me, malek. Are you positive you wish to defy me?"

He had asked the same question when he was about six or seven years old over the matter of addressing him as '_Lord_ Seiryuu'. Sesshoumaru remembered in vivid detail the outcome of _that_ disagreement...

But this time, he was not six—he was a few months away from twenty-one.

"I am positive..." He observed in satisfaction as his uncle's smirk faded. "I am positive I wish to defy you, Uncle. And if you dare to touch me, I will disintegrate your hands in an instant."

Freedom...freedom from rules of society and familial ties was like a highly addictive drug rendering him in a clouded daze...

...that was, until the clouds evaporated and he crashed, returning to his harsh reality.

At first, Seiryuu only stared at his nephew unblinkingly, incredulous of the younger demon's impertinence. Yet, he then smiled...a lazy smile, malicious in every single way...sadistic in nature...

And after a split second...Sesshoumaru couldn't breathe.

_Literally_.

His golden honey eyes widened substantially, and his hands flew to his throat, clawing at it, wondering why it barricaded air from entering his lungs. _Dammit...dammit!!! _He needed to **breathe**, but air wouldn't enter his nostrils! _What the hell is—a-ah...shit..._

A sharp tendril of pain nearly sliced his chest open, where his heart was, and the fragile organ throbbed in agony at every passing second. Sesshoumaru was desperate now—he could almost _feel_ blood clotting in his arteries as his airways continued to be blocked by some...kind of...

_Uncle..._ The veins on his eyes were bulging crimson as he glanced up at the smiling demon ruler. He knew he couldn't kill his nephew without a dimension blade, but his goal was torture...and he effectively reached his goal. _Uncle!_

Sesshoumaru sunk to his knees, no longer having the energy to remain standing, to remain indignant, to remain...free from control. He was useless, powerless... Inuyasha might complain about not being accepted by society, yet he _never_ had to endure this from his own blood relative.

He was _never_ forced to kneel like the lowliest of servants.

And even though Sesshoumaru was already kneeling just as his uncle desired, his suffering merely continued. The pain in his chest was worse than being impaled in the gut—and the fact that he could do nothing about it intensified his agony. But he was already on his goddamn knees!

What else did his uncle desire from him?! _Further_ humiliation?!

His brain was losing the ability to function properly...his vision was doubling...his body trembled. But, because he couldn't breathe, he was also unable to scream out his pain, to relieve the agony tormenting his constricting heart, his lamenting soul...

It was the absolute _worse_ torture in existence!

He couldn't die...no, he couldn't. However, he was aware of his surroundings, aware of the merciless power of his uncle. It was enough to kill him.

And he knew...Sesshoumaru now knew he could never defy Seiryuu.

Malek...he was forever known as a malek...

**"Stop!"**

Warm hands clasped his shoulders and shook him, though his body was already shaking with the strain his uncle's intense spell was putting on him. Someone was...crying, as well, since he felt tears dripping onto his light blue shirt.

Who was this person? His olfactory nerve was unable to decipher the scent of this person unless he inhaled, which was virtually impossible in his state. Who was this kind, compassionate person?

But he soon discovered the identity of the sobbing person—no, woman...

Rin.

"Stop it, Uncle Seiryuu! Please! You're torturing him! Stop it!"

Her hands, however, abruptly left him along with her presence beside him. _W-Where...? _

It came as a great surprise to Sesshoumaru when he was suddenly able to breathe, and his chest also stopped constricting simultaneously. He panted as he maintained a kneeling position, gradually aware of the beads of sweat slowly trailing over his flushed skin, and focused on controlling his erratic breathing. But...

_Why in the world did uncle stop?_ Granted, he was glad he was free from his uncle's torture spell, yet usually the demon didn't stop on behalf of someone's whim!

Finally it registered into the dog demon's head that Rin was nowhere beside him, and he glanced to his right, searching for her... The sight meeting his wide golden honey eyes was far from what he initially expected, though, and he stood on shaky limbs, his lips parted in a small gape.

_Unbelievable..._ Rin stood over Seiryuu with her fist in front of her as her chest heaved deeply with every breathe she took. Her cinnamon eyes were shielded by her obsidian bangs, yet her determined posture relayed enough about the situation to Sesshoumaru. _I think this is the perfect moment to faint. _

And the demon ruler, his reagent, was...he was...she...

Rin had punched his uncle! Seiryuu was on the ground glaring at her with a bruised cheek!

"I _swear_ to InuTaishou's _grave_, Uncle Seiryuu," the dark-haired teen began in a menacing whisper, her fists now trembling in restraint at her sides, "that if you hurt Sesshoumaru again, I will return the favor. I _swear_ it."

Seiryuu narrowed his gaze and stood. His bruise was already gone, but it left its scar on his pride and ego, and he loathed the fact that the human before him was aware of it. _How impudent..._ He hated impudent bitches. He hated _her_. "This does not involve you, human."

"It does involve me, you know why? Because _my_ fiancé happens to have an uncle overdue for his loony bin appointment—and hey! He's you!" Rin lifted her chin like a royal lady would do while scoffing at an insignificant vermin. Her act—a reminder that she was the future Lady of the Western Lands—only served to further infuriate the demon.

"You dare to insult me?" He could hardly _believe_ the impertinence of a woman beneath him! "Know your place, girl. You are not a queen." _At least not yet._ Her current status was what mattered, anyway.

"And you are not the boss of me! Just what the hell is wrong with you? Your younger brother killed your older brother—it's horrible, I know, but it doesn't justify you holding a grudge against his sons!"

Sesshoumaru noticed that Rin was gradually overstepping her boundaries with the way his uncle's azure blue aura darkened considerably. When she was angry, she was a bitch from hell, and his uncle was the devil in charge of her.

_If she continues spewing nonsense..._ "Rin, I'm fine. Let's leave."

She raised her hand in a gesture to stop speaking, and her fiancé nearly choked on air. He was just dismissed! For the first time in his life, someone had the gall to dismiss _him_, Prince of Makai! What the hell was happening—was he already becoming whipped?!

No...that occurred the moment he first _met_ the overly cheerful teen.

Seiryuu flicked his silver eyes over his disgruntled nephew prior to smirking at the raving girl. "Of course...you have already experienced murdering your family. Tell me, my dear, how did it feel to be rid of your nuisances? Common human mortals are pathetic, aren't they?"

"Uncle! Enough!" Sesshoumaru walked up beside his fiancée, glaring at the brash dog demon in front of him murderously. He didn't know what his relative was trying to prove, but like hell he was going to let him accuse Rin of murder! "What is it that you seek once and for all?"

It was better to change the topic, for they were all treading on dangerous ground. A few months ago, he remembered Kagura mentioning that Rin had killed her family by misusing a certain little gift of immortals—the gift of power he shared with her during the Shurikan. But...everything the demoness said...could it have been true?

He glanced at Rin, yet her cinnamon eyes were once again covered by her bangs, and her fists were clenched at her sides. Apparently, she knew something Sesshoumaru didn't. _No, Uncle knows something, as well..._

"The only thing I desire, malek," Seiryuu began with an exaggerated sigh, the corner of his lips still upturned in a condescending smirk, "is for you to stop fooling around with the human girl and resume your post in Makai."

Sesshoumaru narrowed his golden honey eyes suspiciously; the fact that Rin had yet to utter a word also bothered him. Yes, he had taken a few years absence—by immortal timing, at least—and left his kingdom in his regent's care in order to seek his fiancée. Yet, he wasn't married and didn't plan on marrying until Rin graduated from high school.

There were still approximately four months left in his little 'vacation'.

"What are you trying to say?" _I'm not returning unless—_

Seiryuu's cruel smirk morphed into a malicious smile only seen on the faces of ruthless, unsympathetic rulers about to march into battle already won. "There is to be a war between the Western and Southern Lands, and you must claim the king's throne before it is too late."

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**A/N: END!**


	35. Whispers of War

**A/N: HEY! **

* * *

**Oh My Gods! 35**

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Kagome stared at the ground, analyzing each blade of healthy green grass beneath her crossed legs. She wondered if the grass would sympathize with her if she told it what she had recently been through. Perhaps it would recoil and wither into nothingness; merely disappear.

Well, she'd like to disappear...

Why? For the most part, she was once again brought to the immortal realm without any warning whatsoever. Inuyasha was incapable of being so kind and understanding, yet he wasn't the only one, since her current misery revealed as much. No. It was a deadly plague.

So, add all of the above to the fact that she was now stuck with a raving hanyou and a stoic miko who threatened to shoot him if he didn't shut his running mouth. Obviously, the raven-haired teen felt like acting out Kikyou's threat in her stead.

"Why the hell are we here?! When are you taking us back?! Hey, bitch, answer my fucking questions! Are you a freakin' zombie? Are you dead? No one told you to die when I'm asking you questions! And I'm hungry!"

Kagome continued to stare at the ground, trying in vain to ignore her fiancé. But, alas, it was impossible because his furious voice still echoed in her foggy mind. So, she merely redirected her thoughts to ponder her current whereabouts.

They were all in some sort of clearing in the middle of a forest; she was sitting on the ground, leaning against an old wooden well while Inuyasha stood in front of Kikyou, bellowing at the top of his lungs. Kagome was decked in her pajamas, embarrassingly enough, though her fiancé wasn't faring much better with crimson sleeping pants on and a white T-shirt covering his torso.

If Kikyou had just _warned_ them, they could have changed...

_But _nooo_, I was kidnapped by a creepy mummy-looking priestess. _Kagome glanced at the apathetic miko standing with her arms crossed. _At least my slippers are comfortable... _Slippers... _Right, they're my Slippers of Death._

Her chocolate eyes gazed at the fluffy blue shoes on her feet and then shifted to settle on a certain complaining hanyou. An idea soon popped into her brain...heheheh...

"Dammit! Do you _not_ care that you just abducted a prince?! I can have you executed!" Inuyasha shouted at Kikyou, his anger fueled by her steady indifference. Hell, she even yawned in boredom! "And there's no way in hell Sesshoumaru's gonna pay ransom, which means I might as well go ahead and die! I hate that inconsiderate ba—"

"Inuyasha..." Kagome stood, finally out of her prior stupor, and innocently stepped up behind him. A sweet smile was on her pretty face, though it was only seen by Kikyou. The miko smirked once she caught sight of fluffy object in her hand. "Can you please stop being annoying?"

"What?! Wench, we were fucking kidnapped! We have school on Monday and—shit! What the hell was—stop!" The silver-haired hanyou failed to recall that Kagome was vicious, and he unfortunately succumbed to a...slipper attack!

N-No...it was more than just a slipper...it w-was...

...the Slipper of Death...

_Oh shit._ Inuyasha cowered from the fluffy slipper Kagome brandished after she whacked him a couple of times on the head. It was his punishment for being insolent, he supposed. Gods, he might as well bow in worship of the terrifying Blue Fluff!

"This reminds me..." The raven-haired teen tapped her chin in thought, recalling something or the other. After a few seconds, her eyes darkened to border on black fury. Inuyasha knew it meant nothing good for him. "I owe you a beating for earlier."

"But I didn't do anything, wench!" He retorted, no longer fearing his demise. "Stop making excuses just to—fuck!" **Whack! Wham! Whack!** "GAH! STOP!"

Kagome used both of her slippers and brought them down on the hanyou's head with enough force to summon a painful migraine. Her lips curled into a savage snarl as she refused to allow him a moment to recuperate from the onslaught of whacks and whams. Soon enough, his proud stature crumbled into a fetal position on the ground.

"You're more of an asshole than Meimori is!" She shouted, her anger from earlier returning with vengeance. A few feet away, Kikyou merely watched, amusement etched into her expression for once. "How dare you let yourself be stabbed like that! You freakin' scared me! I thought he really hurt you!"

"WENCH!" **Whack! Wham!** "**YOU'RE** HURTING ME!"

"SHUT UP!!!" **WHACK!** "NEVER DO THAT AGAIN OR YOU'RE **DEAD!!!" **

"Technically he's already dying," Kikyou cut in, but she sighed and treaded closer to the arguing couple. "Alright, I suppose it's time for an explanation. Kagome, Inuyasha will need to participate."

The teen hit him one last time and huffed prior to placing her deadly slippers back on her cold feet. Inuyasha twitched a couple of times and compared being impaled by his cousin's broad Aotoki _dimension_ sword to his fiancée's hissy fits with household items. Which one was scarier?

The answer was obvious...

Now that she had everyone's attention, Kikyou uncrossed her arms and exhaled deeply. "Let's set things straight. I can careless about your own little battles with Meimori or whatnot—I only desire the Shikon no Tama."

"And I thought I told you I don't know where it is," Inuyasha responded after gathering his wits. His muscles tensed and his jaw ticked as he became defensive, and even Kagome wondered if Kikyou would use force to attain this jewel, whatever it was.

"Yes, half-breed, I'm aware of your incompetence."

"What?! I'm gonna—"

"Ok, so he doesn't know where the jewel is," Kagome smartly interfered before her hanyou initiated another one of his tirades. "This doesn't tell me why we're currently here."

"Inuyasha actually _does_ know the location of the Shikon no Tama; he just doesn't remember." Silence accompanied her statement. The couple before her merely stared at her with their heads cocked in the same direction. They looked like a pair of befuddled puppies...

Err...Kikyou's thoughts were digressing, amazingly. "Listen up, idiots. Without me, the Shikon no Tama is _useless_, so I require it in order to make it _useful_. But you, yes _you_, Kagome, hid it. Your mate, the half-breed, is the only one who has the memory of its hiding place in that shockingly small brain of his."

The silence was overbearing—crickets were chirping and it wasn't nightfall yet.

"Um...how did I end up with the Shikon no Tama in the first place?" Kagome tentatively asked, fearing if she inquired too much, her brain would overload with information and explode.

"Simple. I handed it to you."

"Why?"

"Because you're it's keeper."

"Why?"

"Because _you_ are the only one with the likeness of Midoriko!"

"Why?"

"...because you're a miko who fell in love with a hanyou."

"Why?"

"..."

"Alright, I'm confused." Inuyasha shook his head and sighed. "Who the hell is Midoriko, when did you give Kagome the Shikon no Tama, and why am I suddenly involved in this?" From his little escapade yesterday—in mortal timing, that was—he recalled mention of Kurayami and Midoriko, but it hadn't sunk in.

Truthfully, he had been conscious throughout the entire ordeal; meaning, he remembered every exact detail, only that his body was out of his control. Yet, the most prominent feature of the deadly battle was him fighting against a strangely powerful Kagome...and he had called her Midoriko.

Likewise...she had called him Kurayami.

What in the world did that mean, then?!

Kagome was wondering the same thing, since she also remembered that moment in history. _Hopefully this doesn't mean I'm being possessed or something along those lines... _She had enough to deal with ever since Inuyasha stepped into her life.

"Has no one ever told you the story of Midoriko and Kurayami?" Kikyou asked in return, yet the two eighteen year-olds shook their heads. "Hmph, of course you won't understand anything, then. Well, long, long ago, there lived a family of powerful dog demons in the Western Lands, which you both should know is now known as Makai..."

The miko delved into the entire story about Kurayami, who was actually Inuyasha's uncle, and Midoriko, the benevolent miko he fell in love with and who apparently lived within Rin and Kagome. It wasn't literally, however; the two teens were merely the only ones able to tap into the Shikon no Tama and harness Midoriko's dormant soul, just as Inuyasha was apparently able to harness Kurayami's soul using his Tetsusaiga, apparently.

The thought was unsettling—if he had it his way, the hanyou would never look at the sword again...

Throughout the entire tale, the couple couldn't help but gape in shock at all the information oblivious to them. As it turned out, the hanyou knew _nothing_ about his family history! And he bet Myouga and Jaken knew all of this because they _lived_ through it!

He was going to kill them, unless Sesshoumaru beat him to it already.

"—and so, Midoriko and Kurayami both died, but their souls in their respective jewels are guarded by two immortals and two mortals: Sesshoumaru, Inuyasha, Kagome, and Rin. Naraku still roamed freely and desired to eradicate any trace of Midoriko and Kurayami, since they're the only ones who can defeat him. We all fight, we all die, and we all came back to life. The end."

"..." Inuyasha and Kagome couldn't manage more than that. And here the raven-haired teen thought her life couldn't become any stranger... She was never wishing for a handsome, silver-haired stranger with sparkly wings to come whisk her away on some adventure ever again.

Kikyou was unaffected by their immense shock, and she merely rolled her mahogany eyes. "Any questions so far?"

"Um..." The miko regretted asking when Kagome opened her mouth to speak. If she was going to say annoying things again and repeat 'why' millions of times, her silver guns were right within reach. "I don't understand why you gave _me_ the Shikon no Tama."

She was an ordinary overachiever in high school! As if she planned on battling an evil demon god named Naraku who lived in totally different dimension than her!

"Trust me, it wasn't my choice," Kikyou muttered darkly. "Listen, Kagome—it was destiny, fate, or whatever you want to call it. The keeper of the jewel could have been your next door neighbor, but it was _you_. It's the same for Rin. Now just let it go—you can't change it."

The teen quirked an eyebrow. Kikyou had surely twisted the stick up her ass because she sounded substantially annoyed. "Thanks for the lecture..." _Kinky-hoe._ She refrained from voicing the nickname, though.

_Barely._

"So...why did you have it, then? Are you part of Midoriko, too?"

"No," Kikyou murmured darkly, yet huffed and reaffirmed herself. "The jewel was handed to my mother shortly after Midoriko's death. I began to protect it the day she died and purified Onigumo's evil soul. It was only when you finalized a Bond of Mates with Inuyasha that you were able to tap into the Shikon no Tama. I entrusted the jewel to you shortly before the final battle with Naraku and I still have no idea what you did with it."

Kagome raised her eyebrows in surprise. "That makes two of us..."

_And what does finalizing a Bond of Mates mean?_ She glanced at her fiancée for some guidance, but the bright red blush blooming in cheeks swore his secrecy. _Damn. I'll have to torture it out of him later. _

No worries!

"Ok, I don't care anymore about this whole Shikon crap." Inuyasha was confused and most dogs hated being confused. On that level, he instantly related with his bastard of a brother—they even started their own club: Dogs and Confusion Equals Chaos.

Apparently, Kikyou had neglected to join. "What _do_ you care about, hm?"

"Keh! Why the fuck am I here right now?"

Kagome nodded in agreement; yay, he finally said something remotely intelligent! "And where _is_ 'here', anyway? Besides the obvious, of course."

"You two idiots are wasting my precious time. Inuyasha, you're here because you're incompetent and you have abilities you must control. Kagome, same answer, and we're currently—"

"—in Enma, the Northern Lands...._my_ kingdom."

"I knew I smelled wolf shit around here!" Inuyasha was quite proud of himself for catching the scent that had been upwind, since Kouga suddenly decided to jump down from a tree out of nowhere. "Keh! What's up with people and spying now a days?!"

First Meimori, then Kikyou, afterwards was Kizurei, and now Kouga! Who was next?!

The aforementioned wolf demon scoffed, yet walked up behind Kikyou, who seemed happy to have someone else deal with a bunch of baffled children. His expression, however, was solemn for once, and his current grim mood was revealed by the way he neglected to glomp Kagome, his 'mate'.

He sighed before crossing his arms over his chest, and it was now that his two classmates noted his black and brown imperial garments. A black silk shirt adorned his torso, matching his sleek sable pants, while a dark brown fur...boa hung from his left shoulder, accenting the band of fur (mostly his tail) wrapped around his waist.

All in all, he looked like the prince he claimed to be...and his princess stepped up behind him a few minutes later.

Ayame's mood wasn't faring any better than Kouga's, yet her clothing was similar. Instead of shirt and pants, a form-fitting black dress sheathed her slender body, hugging her curves and exposing the sides of her long, creamy legs with slits reaching mid-thigh. A boa of white fur was wrapped around her left shoulder as well as a band of matching fur around her waist.

Inuyasha and Kagome were once again speechless—Kouga and Ayame perfectly fit the description of able and handsome rulers. Gods, they needed sleep. Yes, they needed sleep and a bed...to _sleep_ on, dammit!

"Okay, I can deal with this." Kagome was determined to protect her mind from shock and confusion! She was going to comprehend her present situation even if it killed her! Err, she wouldn't go _that_ far, though. "We're in Enma...in front of a well...in pajamas..."

And any escape route was virtually blocked...

"Don't forget I'm hungry, wench. I thought I made that clear." One could never forget such a fact; the hanyou owned a bottomless pit for a stomach. Then again, he could eat grass for all his fiancée cared.

Grass was universal solely for his endless consumption.

Ayame took a step forward, having ignored her two friends' mumbling. Her stark emerald green eyes betrayed all emotions. "I, Queen Ayame of Enma, humbly approach you, Prince Inuyasha of Makai and future ruler of Seijou, with the request for an alliance in this dire time of war."

"What?!" Inuyasha glanced at Kouga, who stood in back of the wolf demoness, completely impassive. If Ayame was _Queen_ of Enma, then that meant Kouga was King...

...and they were...she was...his...

But didn't Kouga _detest_ Ayame?! Why the hell would he marry her?! When the fuck did Kouga assume the throne of Enma without his notice?! And there was to be a war?!

...war...war...**WAR!!!**

Dammit, he wasn't even deigned Lord of the Eastern Lands yet!

Kagome lost all of her prior determination. She was forever doomed with confusion—hell, she should dump Inuyasha and marry it. Ok, so at the back of her mind she knew Ayame was immortal—the wolf demoness adorned a gold beaded necklace around her neck, and it had ten beads on it.

Ten.

Ten was two more than Inuyasha's eight. Wow...

_But then Kouga..._ The miko glanced towards the uncharacteristically stoic demon, and she noted that his regular surfer beads were actually replaced by a gold medallion accented by ten teeth. As in...he reached a superior rank, higher than Inuyasha's and equivalent to Sesshoumaru's.

Both Kouga and Ayame were suddenly complete demon gods... _How long had they been gone for? _The answer was trapped in the maze also known as Kagome's brain.

"Prince Inuyasha, I assume you are not aware of current events," Kouga stated, polite and civil to the hanyou for the first time in his life while his voice now possessed a smooth, commanding quality. "Naraku, the King of Akuma—the Southern Lands—has declared war on my kingdom and your Western-Eastern Empire. It would be wise to join forces in order to prevail against his vast army."

This was probably why Kouga already took the throne of his kingdom, or so Inuyasha supposed after he quelled his initial shock and observed the situation calmly. In order to deal with declaration of wars and such, the ruler of a domain had to be a _king_, not a prince. Regents were not allowed to govern wars, as well.

_Wait. Then Sesshoumaru and I have to..._ The thought suddenly struck him and his golden amber eyes widened. _Shit. I have to leave the mortal realm and become a... _

"How long until its commence?" Inuyasha guarded his inward emotions of panic and anger closely. His mask of indifference was firmly in place, and his face mirrored the grim note of his fellow rulers.

The only person who could possibly see past his façade was Kagome, since she recently became adept in utilizing their Bond of Mates. Her nervous hand grasped his, seeking his comfort as well as returning hers, and he tightened his grip, acknowledging the fact that...

...it was highly likely they would have to...have to...

"From what I've heard, Naraku will only allow a year for strategic planning. In mortal terms, that is only three months." Even Kikyou was aware of impending events. Her source of information wasn't important at the moment in the perspectives of the other four.

"Shit." Three months...Inuyasha graduated from high school in _four_ months. Even so, he could no longer remain in the mortal realm. There were war preparations to be made; his duty was to his kingdom first and foremost.

Now Inuyasha understood Kouga's long absence from classes. He had received word of this war and hastened to take his inherited throne. The wolf also married in order to leave behind a capable, trustworthy ruler while he was fighting in the battle front. They were all tasks Inuyasha, and Sesshoumaru as a matter of fact, would be forced to accomplish in the near future.

Yet...Kagome...

He turned to gaze at her, and she glanced back, her chocolate eyes absorbing the knowledge she refused to accept. Technically, matters between them from their altercation the day prior were _far_ from settled—their feelings and issues were still a mile away from the surface.

Gods, what he would give to freely express his feelings as though nothing blocked his heart from opening up to her! In reality, his apprehension was as strong and powerful as before. His insecurities had not retreated. He jaded—that much he admitted. And he wanted to let Kagome know! Inuyasha truly did!

But...

...but he couldn't stay...he just couldn't.

To force her to join him in a world foreign to her would be selfish and heartless, as well. His duty was to his kingdom...his life belonged to the people who served him and vice versa...yet...

Where did Kagome fit in his domain?

"Prince," Ayame interrupted the hanyou's silent brooding with her melodic voice barely above a whisper, "Sango and Miroku are taking care of the menial work back in the Eastern Lands in your stead. I'm certain Lord Seiryuu has already enlightened Sesshoumaru on this recent turn of events."

"I see..." In a way, Miroku and Sango were his indirect regents. They didn't actually rule in his absence, but they had enough power to control matters in the Eastern Lands, Seijou, in case disaster arose.

"Before war breaks out and Naraku summons hell, you both need to train and stabilize your abilities. That is why I'm letting you use the Gunslinger's secret training grounds." Kikyou gestured towards the well behind Inuyasha and Kagome. "You will spend approximately a month in there. In mortal time, it's little over a week."

"So, does this mean the Gunslingers are on our side?" Kagome asked, glancing at the wooden well. She peered over its opening and shuddered; all she saw was blanket of darkness.

_This must be some kind of portal, I guess._ She sure hoped so.

Kouga barely refrained from rolling his azure blue eyes. He was trying to emulate the conduct of a sophisticated ruler, and kings didn't roll their eyes in annoyance. At least, that was what his father told him years ago. "I employed the Gunslingers and they will fight under my command."

Inuyasha, unlike his fellow royal demon, rolled his eyes and scoffed. "As long as that freak Jakotsu doesn't get anywhere near me, then I don't care about them."

"If I could draw, I'd totally sketch a manga starring you and Jakotsu..." Kagome tapped her chin in thought, ignoring her flabbergasted fiancé. "Well, there's always Fanfiction!"

"I have no idea what you're talking about, but you better shut up, wench." The hanyou sighed and faced the three other occupants of the forest clearing with grim golden eyes. Everyone spoke about a 'time' his mother foresaw—he supposed the time was looming near. "When will Kagome and I leave?"

"The Shikon no Tama is the last artifact required for this war," Ayame responded, once again standing proudly beside her husband—though Inuyasha's senses told him they were still not mates. Hm... "Training will bring forth a vision containing its whereabouts."

"Which means you have to leave _now_." Kikyou moved to stand in front of the king and queen in order to better address the slightly anxious couple. "You will need to summon your own weapons, and your clothing will change once on the other side of the well."

At least the stoic miko answered one of Kagome's questions, but she still wanted to take the woman's obsidian black guns with her... _Well, I won't be fighting in my pajamas and slippers—that's a plus. _She smiled, imagining her and Inuyasha fighting wild demons in only their sleeping attire.

However... _Inuyasha might rip his shirt off during the call of the wild, sling me over his shoulder in all of my fluffy blue glory, and fly towards the horizon to make love on soft, silky clouds..._ The teen's smile widened into a satisfied grin. _Wow, I really am sex-deprived. Yup. I blame hormones._

"I suppose we don't have much of a choice," Inuyasha muttered from beside his fiancée, though he failed to perceive her spike of arousal. "Come on, wench, let's go kick some ass!"

"What about Sesshoumaru and Rin? Won't they be worried?" Kagome faced her other companions, concern lighting her chocolate eyes. "And what about our homework for the next week? We have another Literature project due on Thursday! And my mom—"

"It's been taken care of by Kizurei, so stop making excuses." Kikyou huffed and crossed her arms, tilting her head to one side patronizingly. "

Kagome gaped in anger. Did Kikyou hate her because she was jealous or what?! It seemed like she wished _she_ had control of the Shikon no Tama! Hell, she could have it for what the teen cared! "I'm _not_ making excuses, Kinky-hoe!"

"Hmph. Yeah right."

"One day I'm going to take your pretty little guns and shove them down your eye sockets and shoot into your cranium and spoon out your brain and—"

"Whoa! And I thought Sesshoumaru was a freakin' sadist!" Inuyasha merely shook his head and tightened his grip on the teen's hand again. He cast one more look at the others standing in front of him. "If anything happens, keep in touch with me, wolf-shit."

"Of course, dog turd." There, Kouga allowed himself a short reprieve from his mask of indifference! "I hope you don't get yourself killed before the war starts! Sleazy mutt..."

"Keh! I hope Ayame doesn't chop your balls off while I'm gone!"

Kouga had to fight the urge to protect his pride and joy...

"Bye, you guys! Have fun!" Ayame's emerald eyes twinkled with her pent up energy, and Kagome sighed in relief. She had known her jovial ex-roommate was somewhere in the shell of an eloquent queen!

"You'll be using _Bankotsu's_ private training grounds. Trust me, the obstacles won't be easy to surpass, and they'll be many of them." And those were Kikyou's final words said in a monotone voice, yet her message was comprehended.

Inuyasha and Kagome didn't know what they were getting themselves into, but with a final wave and fingers still interlocked, they jumped into the dark well, only to be consumed by a bright midnight blue light.

Once they were gone, Kouga, Ayame, and Kikyou remained standing by the well in silence, their expressions blank. At long last, Kouga sighed and treaded closer to the grove of trees near by. His red-headed wife followed after him, but she stopped midway.

Without turning to face Kikyou, Ayame whispered, "Naraku isn't going to wait a year to attack, will he?" At this, Kouga stopped to listen to the miko's reply.

Kikyou stood silent. In his new beginning in life, Naraku wasn't about to repeat the same mistakes like last time, and he would start by crushing any interference. And Kikyou knew...that he had already targeted Kagura, a good friend of hers, oddly. Meimori was still unaware of this, yet he too will succumb to Naraku's wrath in the end.

But it was the cycle of life.

It needed to happen.

"No," the long-haired miko alas sighed as her slender fingers glided across the smooth rim of the well. "He will not wait. Though, I can tell you this: be prepared. Naraku can strike in a year...or even tomorrow."

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**A/N: END! WOOT! Well, I don't feel like talking. My impending root canal is scaring me to death... I LOVED MY BLOODY VALENTINE 3D! IT WAS AWESOME! :-D RISE OF LYCANS WAS COOL, TOO!!!**

**Next chappie: Well, I kinda lied last time so...Inuyasha and Kagome have to get over their differences (again)...FLUFF TIME! And training and...stuff. Rin and Seiryuu have to get over their differences too, but they won't be fluffy at all...**

**Sooo...what will Inuyasha and Sesshoumaru do now that they know about the war? Why in the world did Naraku declare war? When will Meimori find out about Kagura? When will Naraku use Kagura as his 'puppet'? Where is Yuka's evil plotting? Will Kagome agree to be Inuyasha's queen? **

**I AGREE! TAKE ME AWAY! --no one comes-- Damn...**

**Well, vote for this story as Best AU, stay away from drugs (including caffeine in coffee :-D), eat crocodiles, kill a mockingbird, and DESTROY ANARCTICA! Wait--we need that for oil! REPOPULATE ANARCTICA! **

**REVIEW TO GET A FREE TICKET TO ANARCTICA! :-D Inuyasha and Sesshoumaru are already over there... **


	36. Black Abyss

**A/N: ALRIGHT PEOPLE! I'm ALIVE AND WELL WITH A CHAPTER! :-D I survived a root canal! WHOOT! Afterwards, I was actually like, "Wait—it's over? Can you do another one?" LOL! I went to the mall, instead. :-D But now I'm suffering from deadly cramps, so...**

**Ok, let me explain what happened to this story. One of my reviewers, **ygfi**, suggested that I cut my lengthy chapters in half, and I decided it would be a great idea! My story will be easier to read, right? And I'll have to update sooner... Well, this chappie is kinda long, though... **

**So, instead of 22 chapters, Oh My Gods! now has 36! Anymore suggestions, feel free to tell me so in a review! Thanks **britt** for telling me about chapter 13! I wouldn't have noticed it without you! **

Fangremtom2**: I owe you your fluffy moment with Inu and Kags! Since now the chapters in this story are kinda messed up, I promise I'll get your idea out next chapter! Damn, I keep saying that and it never happens—I only right fluffy moments between Sesshoumaru and Rin... O.O **

PuppiesAreAdorable:** I OWE YOU A REVIEW AND A RESPONSE! I'm just lazy, too! We need to go to Lazy Rehab... :-D**

**Anyway...enjoy the chappie! **

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**Oh My Gods! 36**

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She was a coward.

Always running...always fearing...always so goddamn compliant...

It was her main problem, even though people—bystanders, at most—would say she was brave, sometimes blunt, _psychotic_...

Of course, they failed to penetrate through her façade.

Sadly, she only realized now the consequences of her mode of life, of her protective _shield_. Spending most of her life in an orphanage having forgotten the faces of her murdered family members and never knowing what true friendship was created the mask of 'happiness' she wore daily. She convinced herself that if she pretended to be happy and carefree, then nothing would ever hurt her.

For the most part, it worked.

She had passed through it all: denial, rejection, hatred, _abuse_. But she wasn't like the other kids in her orphanage who merely became aggressive as a result of their loneliness.

Nope.

She smiled at her attackers and allowed them to do as they pleased. She undertook favors from her ungrateful peers and shrugged when it ended in a juvenile prank.

Children were unkind; it was a fact. It hardly bothered her.

Nope.

Yet...then she finally had the chance to grow up by attending Imei Academy, _away_ from the place she almost dared to call 'home'. _Then_ she met her fiancé, a dog demon she discovered she was supposed to marry through her deceased parents' lawyer—who knew how long that lawyer had been trying to find her?

And then she discovered...her life had been fucked up for a long time.

Better yet, she hadn't lived at all.

Rin absently stared at the wall opposite her seat on the bed in her shared apartment. Her dull cinnamon eyes refused to register the subtle movements of her roommate and fiancé as he gathered what he deemed important. Truthfully, he needed nothing from his 'mortal' life. He was just stalling the inevitable, which was actually _telling_ her that he was leaving.

She knew this...but she remained quiet and let Sesshoumaru do as he pleased.

However...this was her just being a fucking compliant bitch.

_'Well, how about that! There's a war brewing in my homeland and I have to return home to become a king. Yeah, sorry. I know I just spent the last five months with you and you really care about me, but _I_ can't care 'cause I have to go. Yup. Oh, and by the way, there's a chance I may not survive this war. Bye bye!'_

The condensed version of what occurred earlier replayed in her mind over and over again. Sesshoumaru's uncle, Seiryuu, appeared out of thin air and informed his nephew that some lord with a stick up his ass declared war on his kingdom. Basically, the dog demon was a prince, and he was _supposed_ to be a king to handle these matters. So, in order to be instated as a king, he needed to be virtually _present _in the immortal realm.

As in, his kingdom came above all else.

As in, he had to leave the life he only just started.

As in, he was leaving her _here_ 'for her own safety'.

What in the hell was that?! Her own safety.... She was perfectly capable of taking care of herself! She proved it by fighting Ka-whor-a and winning! She could heal certain ailments using her voice! She restored a demolished Tokyo—thanks to a berserk Inuyasha/Kurayami—back to its normal establishment!

Did her accomplishments mean nothing?!

Even so, Rin didn't voice her thoughts. Nope. Why? Because, again, she was a fucking compliant bitch.

It was a part of her that rose during her childhood—she always listened to orders. Ha! The day she neglected to listen to her superiors was the day all the chickens in the world would catch on fire simultaneously!

And then arrived the fact that she was a coward. No, _had been_ a coward.

Scared of the outcome of being brazen...terrified of overstepping her boundaries...wary of breaking from her shell and actually _feeling_ pain for once...

Running away from danger...staying out of trouble...never getting angry at the people who hurt her...

Yet, all of that trash crumbled when Rin met Sesshoumaru. Inadvertently, he changed her. _He_ was the possessive and protective one, but she avidly returned the favor, and it showed throughout their whole Eri-problem. She felt emotions she _never_ felt before in her life!

Pain, sorrow, desperation, affection... Could she add love? She didn't know.

For once, Rin wanted to find out who she really was, something she never questioned prior. For once, she wanted to protect someone instead of the other way around and prove her worth. For once, she allowed herself to become angry, sad, psychotic, and express _true_ happiness!

Seiryuu, however, was taking it all away from her.

Not like he hadn't in the past. She remembered now from her 'past life'. Sesshoumaru didn't....because it hadn't involved him.

Immediately, her bridge of apathy and false content ripped in half, and a flood of mixed emotions ravage the barricaded sanctuary that was her mind. Her lips curled over her teeth, seeking protection from this merciless torrent, preventing her voice from being heard. The teen's eyes expelled a flood of their own, creating salty rivers streaming down her cheeks.

Rin couldn't help the pour of thoughts that overwhelmed her mind. Her trembling hands fisted in her unruly mass of obsidian tresses, and she attempted to choke down a sob, to be inaudible, but of course she failed. She sensed her fiancé staring at her in concern, stepping towards her in order to console her—but she wanted the opposite!

She wanted him to...t-to... Gods, what _did_ she want? What _did_ she want Sesshoumaru to do? He couldn't stay with her—she understood that and she couldn't be selfish. Yet, how could he expect her to forget everything they've been through? What happened to him marrying her?

No. Rin wasn't going to be compliant anymore. She wasn't going to sit here like a zombie and allow her life to pass by. The only person who controlled her was **her** and not even Sesshoumaru could say otherwise!

And so, she gathered her wits, ceased her sobbing and weeping. Her tears eventually dried, and she faced her concerned fiancé with grave cinnamon eyes that did not fear to assert her control.

"Right before the war with Naraku started in our past lives," Rin began barely above a whisper, yet her words were not being comprehended by Sesshoumaru, "you left me alone in our palace to settle some matters in your lands. As Queen of Makai, I was protected. Unfortunately, that wasn't the case."

_What is she trying to say?_ Sesshoumaru narrowed his gaze and closed the distance between him and the bed she sat on. He stared down at her, never once breaking their intense lock of eyes. _That I shouldn't leave her? Has she recalled one of her past memories that I haven't?_

Yes, and the next best thing to do would bring her to a foreign world right when a war was about to begin. Oh, and he should allow her to roam aimlessly with his enemies close by while he was off battling a greedy bastard. What a _wonderful_ idea.

The obsidian-haired teen took a shaky breath and continued. "I...I had a foster family: a mother, father, twin older brothers, and an older sister named Rima. Rima...was the lover of Meimori. I don't know how they met, but...Rima is the reason why Meimori hates you, and _me,_ as a matter of fact."

After thinking about it for some time and piecing together the fragmented parts of her dreams that she recalled, Rin came to the conclusion that Meimori stilled pined after her foster sister, who had actually looked remarkably alike her except for their eye colors. When she had first met the dark-haired dog demon, he had kissed her passionately, though not because he liked her, but because he saw Rima in her.

He was obsessed with Rima...dangerously obsessed.

Sesshoumaru couldn't believe all of this—his cousin once had a lover?! Not that he believed the bastard was a virgin or whatnot, but... When had Meimori ever loved someone? Not since his mother died saving Seiryuu during a hostile battle! Besides, Meimori had hated him for as long as he could remember; it wasn't because of jealousy, either.

"How is Rima involved in Meimori hating us?" The silver-haired immortal asked, taking a seat beside his fiancée. His expression was emotionless, yet inwardly he was already seething. Just thinking about Meimori made his inner youkai boil in rage...

"Sessh...you left me alone, as I was saying. And...And Rima came over. She handed me a glass of water and...I drank it and..." Rin neglected to mention the fact that she had been pregnant in this 'memory'. There was no need to tempt her fiancé into a death rampage over something that happened in the...err...future. "W-Well..."

It was so hard to say...she couldn't say it! But it clicked—she understood everything now. Why Meimori hated her and Sesshoumaru, why Kagura scorned her immortal 'gift', why Inuyasha had been sick in Portugal...

"Rin, whatever it is, say it." She knew Sesshoumaru hated to be kept waiting for an answer. He liked straightforward comments, and for the most part, Rin was blunt by nature.

However...this was a different case altogether...

"Let's just say that...what happened to Inuyasha...happened to my future self."

Her words, uttered in a self-loathing voice, struck Sesshoumaru and drenched his heart in ice-cold water. Deep down inside, he knew what she referred to. A few weeks ago, it had come to his notice that Meimori somehow fed Inuyasha a nazupede egg and it awakened Kurayami's dormant and destructive soul.

But...he never imagined that...

"So..." He started slowly, gathering the facts in his mind, his brows tightly knitted, "you're telling me your foster sister fed you a nazupede egg and that's why...why you killed..." Was that even possible?

"Yes, Seiryuu and Kagura were right: I killed my foster family." Rin smiled sardonically and fell back onto the bed, spreading her limbs as far as they could reach. "Rima miscalculated my expanse of energy, though, and I ended up killing her as well. Meimori still holds a grudge against us for that reason since I did the actual murdering and you granted me the immortal power to do so."

Either way, Rin was leaving out another huge part that contributed to Sesshoumaru and Meimori's hatred for each other. It was a large, important detail that had driven her mate into a killing field to literally _tear_ his cousin to shreds. Had it not been for her, Meimori would still be dead.

Had it not been for Meimori, since he was the one who located the nazupede for Rima, Sesshoumaru's and her pup would have survived the entire ordeal.

But Rin wasn't about to voice her opinion.

The wheels in Sesshoumaru's head were no longer rusted but turning swiftly. He had forgotten about the Shurikan he apparently performed twice. Although in order to be affected by a nazupede a person had to possess immortal energy levels, due to the ritual exchange of power called a Shurikan, Rin was also a prime target.

_Now I see why Kagura seemed furious that I performed a Shurikan for Rin. She has always taken care to protect Meimori._ To alas understand a dilemma was a wonderful feeling...

"Truthfully," Rin interrupted her fiancé's thoughts with her grave tone of voice, and he turned his head to face her inquisitively. She gazed back, completely serious and devoid of her joviality. "I'm relieved they're all dead. I never shed a single tear for them."

It was a horrid, ugly part of herself she tried to keep at bay, though ventured to the surface once in a while. She couldn't deny that she was like every human in the world and possessed feelings of hatred inside her 'good', compassionate heart. Rin had hated her foster family—even after being revived, she could still feel it in the depths of her soul, quietly spurning, and reminding her of the suffering she had endured with them.

She had been compliant with them as well. She had run away from the truth—they emotionally abused her. She had worn her masks of false content proudly.

She _had._

Until, again, she met Sesshoumaru and he became the first person to see through her façade. He changed her...and he brought her to his world of peace.

Peace...that was what Rin desired. And if she had to fight for it, she would do so by proudly standing beside her mate in battle. He _would_ not—_could_ not leave her!

Silence enveloped the couple as they lost themselves in their respective thoughts. Rin unconsciously gripped the white sheets crumpled beneath her body as her fiancé sat on the opposite end of the bed, pondering one thing or the other with his ever present cool expression. She glanced at him, and instantly, a thought entered her mind.

In her dream yesterday, Rima played upon her fears of Seiryuu discovering her pregnancy.

Today, Seiryuu's insults were brutal as he tried to convince Sesshoumaru to leave her and become a true king.

Her future self had committed a grave mistake by breaking her promise to her uncle-in-law of not bearing children...

...it was only logical that he would avoid the same mistake altogether given the chance.

_That's it!_ Rin bolted upright in the bed, gaping at the newfound revelation. _He doesn't want me to marry Sesshoumaru because the same thing might happen twice! He's trying to purposely separate us since he knows Sesshoumaru wouldn't risk my life by taking me with him! _

It made perfect sense! And if she didn't know any better, she'd bet that Seiryuu was attempting to execute an identical plan with Inuyasha and Kagome, but he used Meimori to his advantage instead. _From what Myouga and Jaken said when we came back, Inuyasha and Kagome are off training in the immortal realm. _

So...they couldn't be separated. Not yet. _However, Kagome's deeply rooted to this realm with her family and all. If her mother orders her not go, she won't argue._ Rin bit her bottom lip in worry. Mrs. Higurashi wouldn't do such a thing, right? _I can't say for sure. There are a lot of things I don't know. _

"Rin...I must leave."

The cinnamon-eyed teen immediately tensed after hearing her fiancé's smooth yet firm voice and her breath caught in her throat. She swore her heart skipped a beat at the finality of his words. _I still can't believe this is happening._ "I know."

Sesshoumaru's expressionless mask prevented any emotions from slipping, so she couldn't discern what he was about to utter next. "I cannot bring you with me."

"I know." She wasn't going to whine over it, or plead to tag along. It hardly meant, however, that she would grant Seiryuu the pleasure of remaining apart from her fiancé in different dimensions. "But first you have to listen to me."

"Then please continue," the dog demon said civilly, perhaps already emotionally detached from the mortal realm as he strove to achieve the rational mentality of a king-to-be. His fiancée gulped, yet didn't allow his apathy to deter her steady course.

Rin stood up from the bed and confidently walked up to the opposite side, where a certain silver-haired immortal patiently sat. With her head held high and shoulders squared, she reached over to grasp his large, finely clawed right hand in both of hers. She lifted her gaze to lie solely on his awaiting golden honey irises, and while keeping their eyes locked, she softly and affectionately pressed her lips against the smooth skin of his palm.

"Sesshoumaru," she murmured, keeping his hand close to her lips, "you won't bring me with you. And that's ok; if you bring me with you, it's like you're taking a subordinate under your wing in order to protect it."

"What is your point?" His eyes narrowed suspiciously—what the hell was she getting at?! _I don't treat her as a subordinate...do I?_ Well, he was a dog demon...sometimes he was carried away being the dominant...

The teen's resolve never wavered, and before her confidence melted, she replied in a silky though adamant tone of voice, "I'm not asking you to bring me with you. I _choose_ to stand by your side throughout this entire ordeal and I _will_ accompany you."

"Don't say such foolish things!" Sesshoumaru snatched his hand away and glared at the indifferent mortal. How could she be impassive about it?! Didn't she know what she was saying?! Naraku would kill her during the war! "Your place is here in this realm finishing high school. Do you prefer to let your endless hours of studying go to waste? And what about your scholarship?"

"None of it matters," Rin sighed, having already surmised he would be upset.

"The hell it won't!" He couldn't understand her track of thought! Anything she uttered from her treacherous mouth was preposterous! The dog demon stood in fury and paced around the room. "You're still sick—you're not thinking straight."

"Listen—"

"Yes, you're partially insane, as well. Of course you wouldn't know what you're implying!"

"Sessh—"

"Before I leave, I'll have Jaken find you some medicine. What happened to that remedy Kagome left to pick up? Hmph. I can't trust priestesses anymore..."

"Argh! Just—"

"And I forbid you to watch anymore cheap romance movies. They are filling your brain with nonsense. Now, I believe you should—"

His sentence was interrupted when a pair of hands fisted in his hair and crashed him upon a commanding pair of lips that devoured his, leaving him breathless. It took Sesshoumaru a few seconds to realize that Rin was kissing him...kissing him rather aggressively, pleadingly... She was trying to make him understand a matter she was truly passionate over...

Did she...did she _really_ wish to abandon her mortal life and venture to the immortal realm? Was she ready for it? Wouldn't she regret it ten years later?

Even so, he wasted no more time to hungrily respond, sliding his tongue past her bruised lips to search for its match hiding inside a humid cave that was her luscious mouth. The tantalizing vanilla and lilies scent intoxicating his nostrils and spinning his mind made him forget recent events; he could only register the heat of a slender body against his.

And gods, he couldn't savor enough of it.

The dog demon then found himself pushing the teen onto the bed as he climbed on top of her, absentmindedly sliding his knee between her legs, making room for his body to lie. His hands travelled welcoming areas, reveling in the sounds of pleasure coming from his fiancée, while his lips voyaged down her neck, nibbling and nipping. He faintly felt gentle fingers caressing his scalp, lightly scratching, and a growl emanated from within his chest—obviously he enjoyed the tender ministrations.

_I want her,_ the demon god selfishly thought as he rose again to attack her lips without mercy, eliciting a gasp from Rin, _I want to make her mine. Now._ Her scent was driving him insane...her soft skin was always amenable to his touch...

_Mine. _Sesshoumaru's eyes flashed crimson for a fleeting second. _Mine._

He could feel his fangs elongating, surprising the teen beneath him although she continued to return his passionate kiss; she was now curiously exploring the sharp points of his canines. His inner youkai wanted release...it desired to claim what was rightfully his...

It wouldn't wait—not this time. _Mine. Only mine..._ If he left her...then he would be allowing another to have her in the future... _No! Mine! _His eyes returned to a berserk crimson again, but faded back to gold before his fiancée could notice.

Sesshoumaru growled, frustrated with his youkai's desires, and pulled away from Rin, only to settle his mouth in the conjunction of her neck and shoulder. He nipped the patch of sensitive skin, his ears rejoicing in the moan they processed, and with a fog blinding his mind's eye, he was about to sink his fangs to create a permanent mark, but...

Her scent...was so sweet...her arousal spiked...

Her quick gasps of breath...the heaving of her bountiful chest...her body screamed with desire...

Her cinnamon eyes adept to his every touch or movement...her cheeks were flushed from the heat of their bodies combined...

But...

_This isn't right._ His eyebrows furrowed as he supported his weight above Rin with his forearms, staring down at her slightly confused yet blissfully dazed expression. _This is definitely not right. Dammit, I...I lost control of myself. _

Sesshoumaru swiftly stood and faced away from her in shame, sliding his hand over his face while the other raked his silver bangs back. This was what happened when he suppressed his inner desires and pretended that he wasn't affected by his imperative departure. Heh, he acted like he was a virtual ice statue devoid of carnal desires and in no need of a mate—was he some kind of fool?

Prior to his engagement, he merely had to glance at a woman to have her draped on his bed, ready for his use out of her own free will. Sex was just a way to sate the wild beast within him and calm it in order for him to concentrate on important matters throughout the day. Though, after meeting Rin...all the times she aroused him unintentionally...

If he hadn't stopped himself...he would've imposed himself on Rin and marked her without a second thought.

_Should_ he take her as his mate, he didn't want to regret it.

"Sesshoumaru..." Rin was standing directly behind him—when the hell did she stand up?! He was out of his mind. Yes, especially when she wrapped her arms around his waist. "Why did you hesitate?"

Instantly his body tensed and the immortal turned around in her hold, staring down at her as though she morphed into a two-headed dragon threatening him with a loaf of bread. "Are your brain cells fried? Had I not hesitated, I would have—"

"I _know_ what you would've done, but I wasn't about to stop you," she cut in, briefly shutting her eyes, asking any higher entity for patience. At his blank stare, however, Rin sighed in disappointment. "You just don't get it, do you?"

"No, I don't 'get it'. Enlighten me." Was she playing games with him? Was this some sort of test? Grr! He had no time for this! He had to leave and—!

"Future King Sesshoumaru of Makai, I refuse to remain here like a helpless idiot. I'm _going_ to the immortal realm with you, but not as your fiancée—as your Queen."

Sesshoumaru wasn't sure if he heard correctly. Hell, for the first time in his life, he swaggered to the bed, feeling faint, and took a much needed breath. "I...I don't understand." He opted for the safe route and feigned confusion.

It bought him some time to think of a better solution to his...predicament.

Rin followed after her fiancé, undaunted. She forced him to look at her by once again grabbing the sides of his face, sliding her hands down his flawless cheeks. Her expression was serious—she was completely certain of her decision. "I'm asking you—no, I'm _demanding_ that you marry me...right now."

That was the final strike...Sesshoumaru finally passed out cold.

**

* * *

**

Darkness.

All she could see was darkness, as though she was cocooned in a black blanket with no way to escape. Hell, she could barely see her hand and it was only an inch away from her face! Where was she? A place so empty...so quiet...so dark...it was devastating. Obviously no one would think of residing in such a desolate place.

"Inuyasha?" Strangely, he was carrying her on his back—when their position switched from holding hands to this was lost on her. But the fact that she at least knew she wasn't alone comforted her, and she wound her arms around his neck, hugging him close.

If they were to separate in the black abyss...

She shook her thoughts away. "Um...is this normal?"

Silence.

"Hey, dog boy! Answer me!" It couldn't be normal!

"Kagome," she heard the whispered response, and she wondered why he was whispering if there was absolutely nothing in sight. Then again, her sixth sense was pricking the back of her subconscious, alerting her to danger.

Shit..._danger_ in an abyss where she couldn't see anything was...well, _dangerous_.

Inuyasha seemed to hesitate for a second. Kagome wondered why he would be reluctant to speak to her. "Don't talk so loud, ok? _Whisper_." He was practically mumbling under his breath—she could barely hear him so he was serious about keeping their voices down.

"Why?" The raven-haired miko whispered back, leaning her head in closer to hear him better...and also because terror was slinking its way into her heart. "What's happening...?" Were they being spied on?

"Something messed up the transportation system and we're stuck between dimensions." Inuyasha's eyes flitted to his right and then to his left, as if he was searching for something. He found nothing. At least...there was nothing within eyeshot.

A growl rumbled in his chest and died in his throat, yet Kagome was able to catch the slight vibration. It sounded as if he felt threatened, and it only served to heighten her presentiment.

_We're in between dimensions?_ That seemed worse than visiting hell! They were basically in the middle of nowhere! _And I'm still in pajamas!_ Though, it was the least of her worries now. "How are we going to get out?"

"I'll have to summon a portal, but even that might land us somewhere remote." Yet, anything was better than their current location, where there was no time, no people, and no—

**"RRROOOAAARRR!!!" **

Kagome bit her lip at the resonating roar that originated from _below _them, and she couldn't help but wonder what kind of gigantic creature could've made such a horrid noise. Perhaps this was why Inuyasha was so paranoid...

...bestial creatures resided in the void between dimensions...

"Look, wench," the hanyou mumbled in order to keep them from being discovered by the huge and probably unfriendly creature floating in the darkness, "I'm powerless against this piece of shit because it's a phantom—my abilities won't do crap to it. Since you're a miko, you might be able to distract it while I open a portal."

"W-What?!" She quickly lowered her voice after he threw a cool glare her way. "I don't have a weapon! What am I supposed to do—throw my Slipper of Death at it?" Ha! That would save their lives for sure!

Inuyasha rolled his eyes, but a second later, a faint glow radiated from his right hand, though Kagome couldn't decipher his actions. She cocked her head in confusion when he grabbed one of her hands, pried its fingers open, and placed some kind of smooth-surface object in it. _Ok...I'll pretend I know what he just did. _

"There, now you have a weapon: a bow. You know how to use a bow, right?" He asked, but was confident in her ability to aim and shoot. Hmph, if she could use a gun, then she could use a bow...especially if she could beat people up with a gun...

"Well, I was in the archery club in middle school..." And Kagome had been ranked the best one there...it was only a stereotype of her miko heritage, however.

"Good enough."

"Where are the arrows?" He just handed her a lone bow—who could forget arrows accompanied bows? _I think Inuyasha should join the archery club. _He'd learn the essential items in no time.

Inuyasha smirked although his fiancée couldn't see his face and replied, "You don't need 'em. This bow—crafted by immortals, mind you—allows priestesses to create arrows out of their own spiritual energy."

Was that even possible?! Kagome never heard of such a thing, and despite their current terrifying situation, she smiled, feeling giddy at the new information. "How do you know?"

"It was my mother's."

"Oh..." His mother was still a sore subject—there was no need to touch upon it. But she hadn't known that his mother was a miko as _well_ as a seer... _She was cooler than I can ever dream to be. _"Ok, so where is this thing—"

**"ROOOAAAR!"**

"Fuck! Kagome! Shoot straight ahead!"

Inuyasha summoned his wings in a split second and maneuvered away from the large black phantom beast that would have swallowed them whole. The slimy bastard was using its dark surroundings to its advantage, camouflaging easily, confusing his eyes. His enhanced vision allowed him to see the creature's long silhouette, like a dragon's graceful body, but it wasn't enough! The vexing phantom lacked a scent for him to follow, which was the worst part of fighting it.

A dog demon's sensitive nose was crucial during battle...

Kagome heeded the hanyou and wrapped her legs firmly around his waist in order not to fall off; she then moved to prepare her bow. Wait—she forgot she didn't have arrows...crap!

_Now how in the world do I do this?_ There wasn't anytime to think, however, especially when Inuyasha suddenly plunged approximately twenty feet below to avoid being hit, causing her to almost lose balance.

"Be careful!" She yelled, assuming she no longer had to keep her voice down since the beast had located them anyway. "Argh! How does this bow work?!"

The half-immortal growled at his opponent as he tried to evade it at all costs, but answered his befuddled fiancée nonetheless. "Summon your energy to your finger tips! It'll turn into an arro—AH!"

**"RAHR!" **

"Inuyasha!" The beast managed to fling them with its tail end, initiating their rapid, spiraling dive into the never-ending abyss. Kagome panicked and grabbed onto the hanyou's shoulders, shaking him a couple of times—the hit must have dazed him. Grr, there wasn't any time to be dizzy! "Come on! Focus! FOCUS!"

"S-Shut up..." Inuyasha blinked a couple of times, yet regained full consciousness and cursed at his own weakness. He officially hated phantoms! "Dammit..." The hanyou god flapped his golden wings twice, halting their swift descent and up righting their bodies.

His eyes searched for any outline of the dragon-like creature stalking them; he fleetingly pondered what the thing desired to do with them because being a phantom, it never hungered. At least he _hoped_ it didn't... _Keh! That piece of shit just wants to play._

It was fucking lucky it was protected against immortal powers!

Inuyasha continued to fruitlessly search for the creature, and he couldn't prevent dread from compiling a heavy lump in his throat each fleeting second. _Where the hell is it?! _He concentrated on his heightened senses, but the only thing he was aware of was Kagome gasping for breath on his back, having been caught off guard by the abrupt fall.

_Next time I'll warn her. _Only _if_ there was a next time.

"There's the bastard..." Inuyasha alas caught sight of an oddly shaped figure amongst the solid darkness, merely slithering about, circling them. He ground his teeth. "Wench, hold yourself together and shoot to the right! Hey—hurry the fuck up!"

Something about the phantom's actions suggested that he was a predator...preying on its oblivious intruders...helpless people in the wrong place at the wrong time... It already chose its target, but the hanyou was at loss as to who the overgrown shit was after.

_And is it just me, or did this crap suddenly grow?_ The silhouette his golden amber eyes were trained on grew nearly twice its former size...

"Alright, alright! It's not my fault you're a grouch when you're constipated!" The miko rolled her chocolate eyes, ignoring the hanyou's outraged protest in favor of executing his orders right away. But the next time he spoke to her like in such a bossy manner, she was whipping out his best slipper friend.

Instantly she felt the familiar tingling sensation on her finger tips sizzling with her spiritual energy, and in the following second, she pulled back the string of the wooden long bow. Her energy sparked pink and then took the form of an electric arrow impatient to be launched. Kagome aimed to her right, and she momentarily heard Inuyasha chanting in the ancient immortal language.

Time to leave this phantom netherworld!

_I have to get this right. _Kagome couldn't see the beast, but she hoped it was still where the arrow was poised towards. _This could mean our lives if I miss. _The teen sucked in a nervous breath, yet consolidated her momentum. "Here goes!"

She let go of the string and watched her bright pink arrow stream through the thick darkness and disappear out of sight. There was nothing more than that; no roars of agony, no sounds, no boom... _What happened?_

Her sixth sense was still nagging her...the danger hadn't abated...

"—wi cari ma...loki wa shki!" After Inuyasha finished his chant, a large ring of golden light shot out from his hands and developed what seemed like a tear in the black void. The portal was covered in golden light, so it was impossible to see what was on the other side.

"At least the portal opened..." Kagome mumbled to herself, still not sure if she missed her shot or not. Well, their escape route was most important, right? She'd wonder about the elusive beast later. "Let's get out of here, dog boy!"

"Stop calling me that, wench!"

"Whatever, dog boy..."

"Keh!"

It never occurred to them, however, that they were just being watched...silently observed by a beast desiring to play... And so, the creature pounced when its opponents turned their backs... No sound resonated from it...its body successfully mimicked the darkness that was its home...

Inuyasha sensed a certain mishap around him, but the portal was only about teen feet away; if he hurried, then he could bring Kagome to safety. _Or_ at least in a dimension other than a place where two collided, creating nothing more than a dark void. He smirked in pre-victory, Kagome smiled in relief...

Yet...

**"RRROOOAAARRR!"**

**SMACK!!!**

**"KAGOME!"** It all happened too fast—too goddamn fast! He had been flying over to the portal, thinking that the coast was clear when all of a sudden...all of a sudden...dammit!

The creature used its tail end to knock him away from the portal, and as a result, Kagome lost balance again, yet this time she _did_ fall from his back. Inuyasha could only hear her screams, wherever she was, because the darkness prevented him from catching sight of her. Her scent permeated from all around him—locating her through that method was futile.

_Fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck, FUCK!_ How could he have been so stupid?! And the portal wouldn't remain open forever... _GRR!!!_ The hanyou's head turned from side to side, searching for the bane of his existence in the nothingness surrounding him. His hands glowed with vibrant blood red energy—he was furious.

**FURIOUS!!!** He was going to fucking **KILL** that phantom, spiritual energy or not! It was impossible that he _failed_ to protect his fiancée **AGAIN!**

Kagome's screams were still audible, meaning the beast had a hold of her; good, she wasn't sinking to her demise. _If she keeps screaming, I'll be able to find her._ For once she was using her obnoxious voice to actually aid him... "I have no time to play hide and seek, you goddamn lifeless fuck! Give me back my fiancée!"

It was circling him, again; he knew it. And it was fucking annoying him to no end. What the hell did it want from him?! Why was it targeting him?! WHY?!

Inuyasha snarled and launched a series of energy blasts in a circle around him, even though he already acknowledged it would have no effect. However, a bright pink light glittered from his left, and he immediately turned only to see an energy arrow zoom an _inch_ by his head. He blinked in shock—the source of the arrow _had_ to be Kagome!

And she nearly purified him! Geez! _Some bitches over there have to calm down! _Ahem, not including him, of course...

The miko stopped screaming and was now shooting arrow after arrow, yet her efforts kept disappearing behind him. Hmm...how odd...why would it suddenly vanish?

_What...the hell...?_ His brain was in frenzied; there was no solid floor in the abyss, so she couldn't be floating. Therefore, she must be on top of the beast or...something akin to that nature. _So...shouldn't she be shooting down rather than straight? _

Not unless the miko was trying to alert him to her position...

Inuyasha knew it wasn't the case, though.

"Inuyasha!" Kagome was close enough for him to hear her, and the hanyou's ears twitched at the sound of her voice coming from in front of him. He couldn't help feeling relieved that she wasn't dead or falling endlessly! Her mother would take a shotgun and shoot his poor Lil' Inu if he let her die... "Behind you! There are two of them!"

"W-Wha—**AAAH!!!"**

It was too late, however.

Kagome didn't know what was happening—all she knew was that her fiancé was screaming in agony and she _hated_ it.

When she had been falling in the abyss, the creature had slithered under her, cushioning her tumble. For a phantom it possessed a pretty solid back...but back to the point! Now using it as a transportation method, the miko quickly noticed that the creature she was riding on seemed to be communicating with _another_ one since it growled in a precise pattern in the dark.

And they were _both_ circling their prey: Inuyasha.

Of course, she tried shooting at the other creature to keep it at bay, but it only worked for a few seconds and it still had her fiancé captive! She currently tried to think of an ulterior solution, yet...gods! The fact that her mate was in physical pain was practically ripping her heart out of her chest! She could barely think clearly!

_The portal's still open—somehow, I have to get Inuyasha and jump in!_ But how could she get close to him if she couldn't see him? It was like she was in a haunted house with ghosts lingering by...watching her...preventing her from leaving...

_No! I __**am**__ leaving! There's still so much I have to say to Inuyasha—I have to make him understand how I feel! If he's going to die, my Slipper of Death will be the murderer, not some stupid, cowardly, and probably ugly phantom beast crap! _

Kagome narrowed her eyes and summoned another energy arrow; in response to her fury, the larger arrow was crackling with powerful energy. She notched it on the bow and aimed towards where her Bond of Mates revealed her mate's presence to reside.

_Izayoi,_ the miko mentally called to Inuyasha's mother for strength, _guide this arrow and let it hit the mark. Please don't let me miss for Inuyasha's sake. _With her eyes determinedly set, heart steady, and arms straight back, Kagome finally released the bow's string. "GO!"

She heard a roar in the distance and heaved a sigh of relief—she hit it! Yes! As the beast beneath her quickly ventured to its fallen companion, Kagome also heard a dull thud and a groan from a few feet ahead of her. "Inuyasha!"

He said nothing in reply, but she wasn't concerned. A shaky hand reached out to her and she grasped it without a second thought—it truly was him and he was alive! Her lips curved into a smile as her heart fluttered, eased from its earlier turmoil. She was so glad he wasn't...he wasn't...

The sentence remained incomplete.

The hanyou's arm wrapped around her waist, and together, they jumped off the desolate black beast, whose real appearance was still a mystery, and into the brightly glowing portal. It closed after they jumped in; it left no mark in the black void they never wished to stay in again.

Everything was ok now...or so Kagome thought.

**

* * *

**

"Well...it's not dark anymore, that's for sure!"

Kagome deeply inhaled the fresh air around her and took in the beautiful sight of clear blue skies above her. Thick, green-topped trees lined her vision while grass crunched beneath her feet. Birds chirped in the distance, the sun was shining, and all in all, there was no black abyss in sight!

Her troubles were over! And she wouldn't be surprised if she was scared of the dark for now on... What if the Boogeyman _really_ existed since there were other dimensions excluding the immortal and mortal realms? Oh gods...

_Anyway...whoot! I'm not in my pajamas anymore!_ The teen glanced down at what she guessed was her own cool battle outfit and suppressed the urge to shriek like an excited schoolgirl. It reminded her of her Halloween costume, the sorceress dress, yet this time, her torso was covered by a lightweight black breastplate that was gilded in gold and hugged the curves of her upper body.

All in all, she looked like a warrior miko ready for battle!

_Alas, I'm stuck with the uncomfortable black stockings from hell again...but these leather boots make up for it!_ She grinned in content, glancing at the high-heeled sable boots, which reached right below her knees. _I swear this dress is sexier than my last one, though... _

No one could deny that the slit on its right side definitely reached mid-high...

"So, where are we, dog boy?" Kagome asked with a smile, knowing the haughty response she would receive from her 'loving' fiancé. Strangely, the biting remark never came. Her heart skipped a beat as concern washed over her. "Inuyasha?" She turned towards where he was surely standing behind her.

He wasn't standing, though...

...Inuyasha was clawing at the ground, his fangs bared as he nearly convulsed in pain...

...blood soaked the green grass, his silver hair, his recently appeared battle clothes...

Kagome's shocked eyes continued to assess the hanyou...and they trailed over his back...

...his back...

"Oh...m-my gods," she gasped, and her hand moved to cover her gaping mouth. She was unable to form any other words while her eyes watered, blinding her clear vision. "...I-Inu..."

All she could register was his...his grave injury...and she was useless..._again_.

He...Inuyasha's...he was...

_Oh my gods._

* * *

**A/N: END! Wow...I wonder what happened to Inuyasha...he's always getting hurt, poor thing. So, Seiryuu and Rin have some beef turkey to settle, whew. Sessh is always caught in between... Meanwhile, Kagome is stuck feeling useless again. It must be horrible to watch your fiancé suffering and feel helpless...**

**But I'm a merciless person! MUAHAHA! Penguins love me, though! **

Next chappie:** Well, Inu and Kags are in the wilderness, Naraku is very evil...ahem...**

**Sooo...will Sesshoumaru accept Rin's proposal? Heheheh... Where the hell is Yuka?! And what's up with Kagura and her little mission, huh? When's she coming in again? What's Meimori going to do when he finally finds out? Will Inuyasha die?! Kagome can't heal ppl like Rin can...**

**REVIEW PPL! I LOVE THEM! THEY KEEP ME WRITING! AND I NEED THEM OR THE PHANTOM BEAST WILL DRAG ME TO ITS LAIR! Well, I guess I can kidnap it and take it to Antarctica with us... I'll name him Billford...for some reason. :-D**


	37. Introspection

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A/N: My throat is killing me...I can barely swallow...must update before I go die on my bed...Can't promise update in like another week cuz I'm sick...

**Here's another anonymous review from **Kayla** (Ppl, I will keep posting critical anonymous reviews in an update for everyone to see just cuz there's no reply link): **

ohkay ohkay i really like thi stroy int he beining bu tno w  
its just like blaah

you ned more inuyasha and kagome if you wanted it to be a Sesshomaru and Rin story then change the pairing at the top  
and futher more

Kagome neds to ligthen up with her character shes not suppose to be a bitch thats kikyo's job

**Alright, Kayla, let's see. I know a lot of people, not just you, are complaining about the lack of Inu/Kag moments. Oh, and it's complaining or whining or however you want to call it, not just telling me. Frankly, people, be patient. I know it's an Inu/Kag story since I'm writing it. **

**Kikyou's technically not a bitch either--she's supposed to be calm, cool, and collected but at the same time cruel and mysterious almost like Sesshoumaru. I guess you're referring to Kagome when she was beating up Meimori--I don't think she would hesitate to be a bit violent if Meimori showed up and decided to kidnap Inuyasha right in her face. At least that's what I think--I'm writing only what I think, which is why I'm not Rumiko Takahashi. **

**Now, why isn't there more Inu/Kag moments? Because I'm trying to make them substantially different than Sessh/Rin's relationship, duh. Compare the two and you'll see. **

**Sessh/Rin: passionate, fast-spaced, don't really care about lovey dovey crap, physical (as in they care about carnal pleasure more than emotions), bold (as in they don't hesitate to get what they want ;-D), Sesshoumaru is experienced in bed, Rin is willing to learn if only to prove herself to Sessh--you get the point**

**Inu/Kag: shy, slow-paced, need to get over emotional barriers, need to overcome differences, too stubborn, innocent, Kagome's focused on love before marriage, Inuyasha doesn't care about being lovey dovey, and a bit affectionate--AKA friends first, lovers later**

**So, all in all, Inu/Kag's relationship will be slow to develop, and if you guys keep reading, they need to figure out what they mean to each other and crap before falling in love and having more fluffy moments then Sessh/Rin. It wont be fun to read if they suddenly realize they're in love and make out and have sex and all that crap in the first chapter. What's there to build up on? **

**Beginning of story: Sessh/Rin relationship. After a while, they start to decline. **

**End of story: Inu/Kag. They start off slow and with a huge rift between them, but it mends gradually. **

**I have this plan--I know what I'm writing about. I'm not just writing crap for the sake of an update and I'm purposely adding more Sessh/Rin than Inu/Kag, hint hint. Just be patient and read. **

**And just a side note, **kayla**, I'm not trying to be a bitch and don't get my tone of voice wrong, but can you please clean up you're review a bit grammar wise? It's kinda hard to read and sick people don't want to focus a lot. :-D**

PuppiesAreAdorable**: I still owe you a review... I read the chapter, though! I will comment on it tomorrow when I'm home from school and am not dying from my stupid throat! We're both sick! But you're sicker, so poor Pappy! :-D **

**This chapter is dedicated to **fangremtom2**, my 200th reviewer! This isn't the lime or whatever you were asking for, but it's a start, right? There's still so much more to go...**

**Enjoy the chappie peeps! I could've cut it in half but I didn't...**

* * *

**Oh My Gods! 37**

* * *

Everyone had a favorite word. Well, he was normal like everyone else, right? So he had a favorite word, too. Actually...he wasn't normal like them. Nope. At least he acknowledged it—it was the first step to correcting the problem. Only that...he didn't plan on becoming normal like the rest of the world. Besides, he needed to define normal first; who knew if he was the normal one in the universe and the other beings were weird?

Alright—back to his point: his favorite word. What was the word he revered and loved enough to marry...if it was a tangible creature?

War.

It was a beautiful thing, truthfully. War allowed people to show their true colors—no one cared about perfecting façades during desperate times such as war. Of course not!

Watching soldiers focus on their survival and nothing else was the best entertainment a Dark Lord such as himself could ever desire. They completely lost their minds, their eyes wildly searching for the enemy...bodies bathed in sacred blood...uncaring of the scraps of flesh speckled over their red skin...

Blood was such a beautiful color. Well, it was the color of his eyes; obviously he would find it wondrous.

Naraku smirked and folded his bare arms behind his head as he leaned back on a rather comfortable four-poster bed draped in crimson silk. His smirk widened into a devilish grin when he recalled the owner of the bed he was lounging on was _not_ him, but a certain wind sorceress who didn't have the will to care about his intrusion.

Why?

Because she was still his perfect little servant.

Granted, he never _did_ end up sending Kagura on the mission he proposed a few weeks ago, the one involving Rin and her ability to heal through her voice. He decided it wasn't worth the effort—he preferred to just suppress her ability altogether, and for that, he needed Meimori.

Hm, the dog demon had surely taken a very long absence...

Oh well. It wasn't his problem.

"I wonder if he already knows I sped things up a little and declared war on my three neighboring kingdoms..." Naraku fathomed the dog demon _was_ aware of his plan. _Ah, and let's not forget how one of my pleasant little armies of demon puppets have successfully invaded the Northern Lands._

A celebration was required!

What a feat! _It hadn't been difficult at all—the wolf demon Kouga should really be more attentive to his kingdom._ Then again, the army was led by Kagura, and she was a ruthless opponent with her deadly fans. _How many wolves did she slaughter?_ Countless, he supposed.

"A certain little wolf must be very, very angry right now..." The art of war was a secret only revealed to him...

Kouga was apparently excluded from the malevolent circle since he was on the other side—the _good_ side. Disgusting! The dark side had much more privileges! And dessert; Naraku hadn't known Kanna could bake delicious little brown circles mortals called cookies...

The dark-haired demon god closed his eyes and inhaled deeply, stretching his legs as far as they could go on Kagura's king-sized bed. Why was he in her room? He liked her choice of color: burgundy and crimson. And her spicy, erotic scent was absolutely tantalizing! No wonder Meimori and Sesshoumaru, two dog demons, had trailed after her like weaning pups!

"Let's see, what else have I done in his absence?" Naraku thought it was a good pastime to think of his accomplishments achieved without his ally. Meimori was going to be _thrilled_ when he returned. "Ah yes, how could I have forgotten about the portals?"

Yup...he had taken the liberty of changing the destinations of all transportation devices in the immortal realm. Anyone—ahem, like a hanyou and a miko—wishing to train for the upcoming war, even though it already commenced, was pretty much...screwed.

It would be unfair if Inuyasha and Kagome were off safely training while others suffered a war that started _because_ of them and their respective jewels, right?

Right.

"I'm such a nice person," the demon god mumbled with a smile accenting his handsome face sharpened by malice. His crimson eyes, smiling in conceited delight, flicked towards a beautiful demoness next to him. "Don't you agree, Kagura?"

"Of course, Naraku." The nude body sprawled beside him shifted slightly as the person turned to face him. A pair of gleaming ruby eyes smirked at him while its owner trailed a sharply clawed finger down his bare chiseled chest. "I never had this much fun with Meimori."

"And I hope you tell him so, my sweet traitor."

"I will never betray you again."

"Oh, I'm sure of it since I 'fixed' you, remember?"

"Yes," Kagura whispered, though it sounded like the hiss of a stalking snake. Her lips parted as her tongue tested the sharpness of her fangs that longed to taste the blood of her enemies..._again_. The hours she spent in the battlefield ripping souls from weakling bodies caused her eyes to glisten sadistically.

No, she never had this much fun with Meimori....

And Naraku was highly aware of this, but his conscience was...wait, did he _have_ a conscience? He used to, yet Midoriko did him a favor and removed the menace Onigumo from his youkai body. It was the only thing he thanked her for.

Hmph. Stupid Kurayami...he couldn't wait to kill his damn nephews—they shared the same blood.

Therefore, he was bound to feel the same rush of pleasure coursing through his veins once he inhaled the coppery scent of Inuyasha's and Sesshoumaru's blood sliding slowly down his hands. The thrill of watching them writhe in agony before them, bowing to him on their knees as blood heaved from their bruised stomachs... Gods!

He could barely wait until the time to personally reunite with them arrived.

Until then, Naraku was going to have a lot of fun torturing Meimori, who also shared Kurayami's blood—his hatred for the blasted demon god wasn't cryptic. If it hadn't been for Kurayami, neither Inuyasha nor Sesshoumaru would have the power to destroy him! _Furthermore_, Midoriko's soul cannot be allowed to empower her deceased lover!

So as long as the entire royal family of the Western Lands lived, he could not rest. But he would take baby steps to his triumph.

Yup...he was having a bit of fun first.

Meimori was striving to revive Rima in Rin...surely he wouldn't mind if he used Kagura in the meantime? Ha, the fool couldn't have _two_ attractive women all to himself! Sharing was caring...and he had his own carnal desires to relieve.

Naraku blinked his crimson eyes open and flipped onto his side, facing the wind sorceress resting her head on a pillow sheathed in silk. She gazed at him in complete adoration and loyalty—he trusted that her mind was now empty of treacherous thoughts. Good, because killing her was a mere troublesome chore.

No, she was fixed. _He_ had fixed her.

And Meimori neglected to stop him.

Hm, he supposed the arrogant demon was a true _bastard_ from a lineage of _bastards_.

His hand gently cupped his lover's cheek as his thumb caressed her bottom lip swollen from his earlier assault, and Naraku leaned in to claim them. Soon enough, he proceeded to entirely mark her body as his repeatedly, enveloping her in his poignant scent so that any male could instantly recognize him as her master.

It wasn't that he _longed_ for her, or that he was a beast in disguise desiring constant sexual release—this was his final act of treason against Meimori. Kagura wasn't in her right mind; so the dog demon, when he discovered their 'adventures' in her room, wouldn't blame her...after a while.

So, what was one to do in such a situation? It was obvious that Meimori had romantic feelings for Kagura and vice versa, but Rima's memory prevented him from initiating a relationship with the demoness. Oh, and add the fact that dog demons chose mates for life.

Claiming a woman who already belonged to someone else was _prohibited_.

Thence...when Meimori came to his senses and realized how much he loved his precious best friend Kagura...

...it would be too late and Naraku was going to spit right on his face.

* * *

Meimori was pissed! So fucking pissed that he ripped off the heads of the oblivious guards standing outside the palace! And it was _his_ fucking palace just like the entire Southern Kingdom's army was his! **HIS!** His fucking property equaled _his_ fucking army!

HIS DAMMIT! **HIS!!! **

He was a dog demon—what the hell did Naraku expect from him?! A smile and a pat on the back? He much rather take his Aotoki sword, plunge the demon god's heart out, and eat it for dinner! Even _then_ his meal would consist of burnt charcoal!

_Who the fuck told Naraku it was ok to declare war on not one, but _three_ kingdoms? Three!_ Did he realize the number of soldiers they required and the time it would take to create enough demon puppets to fight? Once Sesshoumaru and Inuyasha ascended to their respective thrones, the war would be pretty much over!

The plan had been to first capture Inuyasha and remove Kurayami's soul! What the hell happened to focusing on his cousin and Kagome?! Sure, he failed to retrieve the damn hanyou, but it wasn't his fault! How was he supposed to know Inuyasha awakened? Grr!

Yet _another_ crack in his plans!

Kizurei was the twin obsessed with schedules and organization, yet everyone needed some kind of order once in a while—Meimori included! There was no fucking way he was fighting in a war against his cousin, the King of Makai, without having some kind of plan!

Ok, he was impulsive as well as often times stupid, but not _that_ stupid!

"Hey you!" Meimori stormed down the stone imperial hall in the bedroom chamber wing and grabbed one of the servants roaming around by the scruff of his neck. He slammed the trembling fool against the hard stone wall and narrowed his molten quicksilver eyes as his lips curled into a snarl. "Where in the fucking hell is Naraku?! He's not in his wing of the palace!"

The wing _he_ was supposed to _stay_ in because _this_ one contained _his_ and Kagura's rooms!

Like hell he was sleeping near a freak like Naraku!

"L-Lo-ord N-Na—" The blonde servant, a handsome young immortal new to the field of servitude, couldn't cease his incessant stuttering and therefore kept Meimori waiting for answers.

Meimori _hated_ to wait.

"Fuck it! You're useless!" With a roll of his eyes, the sable-haired demon god twisted the servant's neck and walked away before the body crumpled to the floor. Hmph, it wasn't as though he killed the idiot; he was immortal—he couldn't die.

He continued his rampage down the hall, intent on wringing the answers he sought from Kagura, _if_ she was currently in the castle. But her scent lingered in the air, coming strongly from her room straight ahead _across_ from his. A smile fleetingly curved his lips at the thought of her close to him—he usually visited her to rant about his stressful problems.

Then she _usually_ kicked him out after slicing his skin with her fans.

Those metal shits were deadly...

Once he arrived about five feet away from the door, however, Meimori stopped dead in his tracks. Another scent was mingled with Kagura's...a scent permeating evil in every diffused atom...

And true to the information his nose processed, a half-dressed Naraku just finished closing the door to his best friend's room. _Half_-dressed...as in, his pants were loose on his narrow hips and his shirt wasn't buttoned, revealing much of his muscular torso. Crimson eyes met his frigid arctic silver ones, and the cold amusement he encountered froze every single cell in Meimori's body.

The bastard _reeked_ of Kagura...as if they...they had...

_Fuck..._ It couldn't...she couldn't have...h-he...w-what? _Naraku slept with Kagura and...? _He interrupted his sentence before he could complete it. The insinuation of his thoughts almost led him to a bathroom to heave the contents of his stomach.

"Oh, you're back," Naraku commented casually while buttoning his black pants and matching shirt, smiling politely. The grin on his face grated on Meimori's frazzled and boiling red nerves. "I hope you had a good trip. Though I assume you failed to bring back Inuyasha since—"

**SLAM!**

"Tell me, Naraku, **TELL ME** who the fucking hell gave you permission to _touch_ her?! **WHO THE FUCK WAS IT?!?!"** Meimori rammed the nonchalant demon god still smiling in amusement against the wall once more for good measure, gnarling like a rabid dog possessive of his property.

His hands wrapped around Naraku's neck, hell-bent on severing his head. They were trembling in anxiety; his fingers desired to slip through ligaments and tear open delicate veins. Gods! His lightening silver eyes were wide, crazed and disbelieving, but all he received from his 'ally' was a mere amused smirk.

_Amused_.

Meimori's body twitched, and his hands slowly retracted back to his sides; all the while, he couldn't take his sight off the monster he had awakened. Naraku finished fixing his shirt and stood to his full height as though the entire incident never occurred. He strolled down the hall like the arrogant god he was and refrained from glancing back.

"Kukuku..."

But Meimori could hear his chuckle from meters away...and it truly haunted him.

_Oh shit..._ The dark-haired immortal suddenly felt weak in the bones and lost the will to stand. He stumbled towards the nearest wall and slid to the floor like a decimated beggar starved from life's necessities. _Oh shit..._ His head ached. His chest tightened. His hands shook. _I can't...that bastard..._

Naraku had...the vermin had fucked Kagura...had claimed her as his own...on _purpose_...?

...He did it in order to get back at his new ally-gone-enemy...yes, that was it...

It was revealed in the way Naraku smiled so tauntingly, amused by his accomplice's anguish, his internal _lament_. He liked to toy with people and watch them suffer before burning out the flame that was their individual life source. Only he, Satan in disguise, could enjoy torturing others for no reason at all...just for his personal delight.

_Why did he have to involve her in this...whatever this shit is? Why would she even allow him to—?_ His thoughts were interrupted when the nearly inaudible creak of a door sounded a few feet ahead, and a feminine figure robed in black stepped out of the room.

Hmph, Kagura only wore black for her battle outfit...

Meimori lifted his gaze enough to catch sight of the wind sorceress, though he remained on the floor, beaten and his inner confidence destroyed. But he did notice a slight difference in his best friend, the same one who understood him...the same one who slept with an ally he now deemed an enemy...

Kagura was naturally graceful—she was a wind sorceress, how could she not be? Her long limbs perfectly balanced her curvaceous body, and her gait was that of a confident, sometimes arrogant demoness who no one wished to mess with. Anytime she walked, it was as though the gods themselves adorned her with clothing worthy of her innate voluptuousness.

However...the Kagura he saw now...hell, just by the way she walked like a powerful ruler, he could tell she changed. Hmph. If he didn't know any better, Meimori would argue that the same amusement he found etched in her beautiful face was a facsimile of Naraku's.

Her lover. Her goddamn _lover_.

"Well," the demoness began in a soft drawl, a mere purr seemingly carried off by the sudden draft in the hallway, "I suppose you found out the hard way. Tsk tsk." Her eyes were glittering ruby diamonds—impenetrable, solid, _unfeeling_ rock.

She...that bitch didn't care that she basically sided with Naraku instead of her best friend...

And it infuriated Meimori! But what could he do? Besides, why should he care? He desired Rima—he loved Rima and _only_ Rima. Rima, Rima, Rima. Kagura was only there to listen to his ramblings about how wonderful Rima was; surely Kizurei could replace her?

No. Impossible. The truth solely served to further deteriorate the cells keeping his body functioning. He now felt..._dead_. Who knew he was so possessive of Kagura? Yeah, one day she would _have_ to sleep with someone, or fall in love, or whatever demons did, yet...

...not with Naraku, dammit!

"What is wrong with you?" Meimori demanded, narrowing his eyes, baffled. He gritted his teeth and curled his fingers into quaking fists ready to impale the closest person's gut. "You fucking slept with a brainless monster and all you can say is 'tsk tsk'? What the hell?!"

The charcoal-haired sorceress sighed and took a step closer to her 'friend', but smiled condescendingly, nonetheless. She leaned down to cup his cheek in an act meant to be tender, although it merely chilled Meimori's skin as his complexion grew pallid. "I learned a lesson, is all. You should learn it, too."

He rolled his eyes and slapped her hand away from him. Even touching her, a woman belonging to someone else, caused his skin to crawl as though fleas jumped through his pores. "A lesson...? On what—how to suck Naraku's floppy dick?"

"No, my darling, a lesson on the art of war." Her words were uttered in a husky, near breathless voice that tantalized Meimori before he could stop himself.

He suddenly craved to brush his lips against hers, gently at first, savoring her taste, inhaling her spicy scent radiating off of her luxuriously shining hair doused in black ink and elegant skin. His arousal increased as he thought of exploring her celestial curves, of sliding his rough hands along the smooth, soft surface of her breasts, all the way down to the course curls that would surely lead him to new territory below.

Yet, it would never happen and he willed a certain part of his anatomy to settle.

"Hmph, the art of war...." Meimori chuckled cynically. His eyes gleamed murderously as he smirked and returned his friend's apparent amusement. "So, what should I learn about war?"

At this, Kagura only smiled and said nothing. Meimori thought she wasn't going to respond and walk away, but he was thoroughly surprised when the wind sorceress pressed her silken lips on the base of his left pointed ear, leaving behind her searing mark on his flesh. Immediately his arousal heightened to more intense lengths—he didn't recall being so turned on by Rima in his past life!

"Meimori, listen carefully," Kagura whispered, her voice tinged with fierce sensuality, but she then utilized her talents to form her own potent venom. "In order to kill your opponent, you must strike him in the heart."

And Meimori now acknowledged Naraku as a true expert in the art of war.

Why?

Because his heart was in millions of irreparable shards.

**

* * *

**

The skies were already bleeding midnight blue as the sun descended and the crescent moon took its place. Crickets were playing their eloquent melodies on their instrumental bodies off in the distance, alerting the ignorant of the oncoming night. Although the scenery in the forest was absolutely breathtaking in the morning and afternoon, at night it became rather frightening.

Trees were bent an angle so that they loomed over others, as though gossiping in the night. Shadows plotted silently in the darkness, always deriding at the object of their mimicry. The glistening bright eyes of owls served to confuse and terrify those who thought a predator was near.

All in all, the forest at night was not the ideal place to rest in.

Yet, it wasn't like Kagome had the time to care.

The miko sighed and blankly stared into the flames of the fire she started an hour ago. She was leaning against a tree with her fiancé's head on her lap as she occasionally rubbed and scratched his ears, hoping it would lull him into a deep sleep away from his agonizing reality. The thought caused her to bite her lip.

He had claimed he was unable to sleep because it hurt so much...

But what happened to the hanyou?

_I...I never really imagined anything like that happening to him..._ It wasn't a situation anyone wished upon a friend...or _fiancé_. Kagome's chocolate eyes trailed over the hanyou god's back and she winced, immediately removing her gaze. Granted, she couldn't see his injury from underneath his black silk shirt, but... _Hell, I can't imagine the kind of pain he must be in._

Pain...pain caused by the fact that those damn voracious beasts had...

...had ripped off any demon god's pride and joy: his wings.

_Literally._

They had played with him alright—curiosity won over the phantom beast's mind and it decided to pull off the pretty butterfly's sparkly wings. The hanyou's screams of errant agony...his incessant clawing at the ground...the growls that rumbled in his chest...

Could anyone imagine having their wings ripped off? No, because most people like Kagome were humans and lacked supernatural features. So she didn't know how it felt to be grabbed by a beast and endure having a part of her body—a part _attached_ to her body, for goodness sake, veins included—being mercilessly torn off.

Inuyasha refrained from commenting on it; heck, he hadn't said a word about his wings ever since they escaped from the black abyss. Therefore, Kagome decided to take the lead and set up a camp. From one of her grandfather's rambles, she recalled how to produce a fire without matches—why he taught her it...was not in her bank of knowledge.

Travelling around the forest a little bit led her to a small creek in which she tore scraps of her dress and soaked it in water. Returning to the fire, she heated the strips of drenched cloth and placed them on her fiancé's back in order to soothe his pain as well as disinfect the wound. _Well, at least he stopped clawing._

It broke her heart that he felt helpless and desperate enough to relieve his agony by digging into the ground, fisting his hands until his knuckles burst from his skin. Those words...helpless and desperate...didn't fit Inuyasha at all. Never should they be used in the same sentence again—if her fiancé read her mind, he'd bark at her until his throat was raw, shouting to shove her pity down her throat.

Hmph...hopefully he wasn't in _that_ much of a bad mood...

"Inuyasha?" Kagome softly called to the taciturn hanyou on her lap, her hand still gently rubbing his velvet furry ears. One of them twitched along her fingertips and she took it as a sign to continue. "Do you...do you feel like talking?"

What kind of stupid question was that?! But Kagome didn't know what to ask—that was the problem! The intense silence hanging over them like a thick quilt was suffocating! All she heard were crickets and owls hooting; she might as well portray a duck and join their symphony!

Yet...most importantly...the miko merely wanted Inuyasha to rely on her...to know that she was there for him and would accomplish _any_ of his requests. If he hated blue birds, she'd listen to him rant for hours! If he narrated a poem about his love for ramen, she'd sit down and clap afterwards!

His silence, however, was killing her...

Not expressing her feelings verbally was foreign to Kagome. Inuyasha was another case altogether—he wasn't a people person like she was. They were incompatible, truthfully, but they fared well...despite yesterday's brutal altercation... The miko squashed any remnants of the thought before they rooted in her brain again.

Just as she expected, though, there was no response from the hanyou. Despite that he wasn't facing her abdomen—it would be weird because his nose would be shoved up her crotch—Kagome knew he was awake since he twitched every so often as a twinge of pain escalated up his spine. Again, there were twin holes on his back spanning at least two-feet long each; she wouldn't feel like talking, either.

Kagome sighed for the millionth time that night. "Never mind. We should get some rest." _Duh, it's late and we're both tired. But for some reason, I just can't sleep._ She fathomed she couldn't be at rest until her hanyou was.

Not happening anytime soon, apparently...

"K'gome..." The hoarse whispered reply barely reached her ears, but by some miracle the raven-haired teen heard him and her hand stopped scratching his right ear in surprise. "I'm...sorry."

"Sorry?" Kagome echoed, confused. What in the world would he be sorry for? He had nothing to apologize for! "For what? Getting hurt?" Heh, she could see him apologizing for his weakness...

Inuyasha scoffed as much as he could without expanding his chest, which would only aggravate his back and cause him unnecessary pain. "_Maybe_, but for worrying you even more."

_Did I just hear him correctly?_ He was concerned over her concerning over him? "You big jerk," the miko huffed teasingly, a relieved smile gracing her haggard face, "you're basically telling me you prefer that I don't care about you. I'm flattered."

"Wench...I know you're dying of worry and anxiety. I can feel it." Right; through their bond, they couldn't hide anything from each other.

Sometimes Kagome loved it, and others, like now, she wished it was dormant again. Ok, so she _was_ a bit worried...and yes, she _was_ about to commit suicide if she couldn't find a way to ease her fiancé's agony...grr!

Why couldn't she sense his good emotions, like happiness or...or...hell, she would be alright feeling his arousal in her very soul, but not his pain! It was torture—she didn't want him to be in so much pain!

Who would?!

"I'm not...I'm just...err...." Ah, who was she kidding?! Inuyasha was right! "Well, don't stress yourself, ok? Just concentrate on healing—only then will I stop worrying."

"..."

Kagome noticed he was hesitant about something else, and she furrowed her eyebrows. At this point, they could tell each other their deepest, darkest secrets...or sexual fantasies—she was definitely sex deprived—and she would listen from the beginning to end. _No, more like Inuyasha would _finally_ finish his story from beginning to end._

He seldom did, unfortunately...

"Hey, talk to me, dog boy. I'm here for you..." She trailed a finger down the side of his face and smiled tenderly. "I said this before: I'll always be here for you no matter what I may say." _Especially yesterday..._ No need to think about it; the absence of her engagement ring was enough.

After a while, Inuyasha seemed to relax and allowed tension to seep from his body with a light sigh. He shut his dull amber eyes, accepting her ministrations without cursing at her for once, and mumbled, "I tried...and I failed."

_What in the world is he muttering about?_ Kagome was astounded, so much that her hands acted on their own accord and gently prompted Inuyasha to turn his head—now they were face-to-face. Behind the physical pain he attempted to cloak, she could see he was inwardly agonizing over something completely different...

...but the troublesome topic arose long, long ago.

"I don't get it..." She replied at long last for the sake of uttering something, her chocolate eyes wide.

The hanyou couldn't escape her introspective gaze—she already dissected his mind and left him bare for her to prod again. He mentally sighed; it sounded exactly like his fiancée, the nosy wench.

"I can't..." Inuyasha sucked in a large breath as his back protested against his speech. "I can't stay with you anymore."

_Oh._ The miko's hand fell limp and her eyes returned to their normal size. She knew what he was referring to: his future kingship and the fact that...well, he was _homesick_. It was apparent in the way he spent his time in the forest near the academy, the only place he could think in peace and ease his stress surrounded by pure nature.

Inuyasha adapted easily to modern culture and his grades in school were as though he was a normal, intelligent Japanese high school student—the same was with his collegiate brother. But...one's home would always be home and nothing could change it. His birthplace...the dimension he was raised in, the realm he knew from the inside out...

Kagome understood him. He tried to live a new life with her in her home, but he failed to withstand the ultimate test of devotion. Yet, why should he be devoted to her? It wasn't like they were married—at the moment—and they weren't mated or in love, either. So what kept him beside her?

He could have left if the pressure was too high...she wouldn't have stopped him.

But he chose to stay and silence his complaints about the mortal realm.

Again...it only led to how much he sacrificed for her...

"You're a jerk, you know that? I tell you five thousand times a day but it doesn't pass through your thick skull." Kagome shook her head in dismay. All those wasted words! "I'm not forcing you to stay with me. You're a prince—you have your own duties to attend to."

"You seem a bit eager to get rid of me," Inuyasha growled, seriously upset underneath his gruff voice. His fiancée surmised he would have pulled away and recluse himself if he could. "As soon as we find a way around this whole teleportation problem, I'll be leaving the mortal realm for good. Happy now, wench?"

"Asshole! Of course I'm not happy!" She felt like bashing his head in! Why did he feel the need to misinterpret her words and twist them around? Was he so insecure?! "I spent the past six months of my life with you! Do you think that means nothing?!"

"So what?! None of that matters—"

"It **does** matter! To _me_ at least!"

"Keh! Especially with what happened yesterday?"

Silence hung over them as Kagome drew back in shock once more while Inuyasha smirked cruelly. His expression changed into one of suppressed pain, however, when he slowly used his arms to lift himself off of the miko's lap. Her brows furrowed and her eyes lit on fire.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?!" She bellowed, but allowed the hanyou to lean on an adjacent tree trunk without offering any aid. His skin was flushed from tolerating his injury and his golden eyes, highlighted by the close flame, glistened with determination.

With a harsh pant and another triumphant smirk, Inuyasha was now facing Kagome, his shoulder leaned against the tree behind him as his opposite arm steadied him. He was overwrought with pain, but was he admitting it? He didn't have to; his fiancée already acknowledged it, though huffed in his arrogant face.

"Look, I'm sorry, ok?" Kagome gazed at the hanyou, her eyes searching his now guarded face for any signs of annoyance or anger. She chewed the inside of her lip nervously before continuing, "I was harsh yesterday. I said a lot of...crap—I meant none of it! I-I'm...I'm not breaking up with you...I don't want to."

"Why?"

She had anticipated a round of vituperations, a laugh in the face, or even for the unicorn in her past dream to come and carry him away. But she hadn't prepared for the solemn whisper choked from his lips...the raw confusion and despair warring behind his golden eyes. His left hand's fingers, which clung to the tree trunk for support, clawed into the rough bark as he growled at himself for sounding so broken and weak.

Kagome, astonished for the third time now, gulped unsteadily. "Well, we're e-engaged—"

"Don't feed me that fucking bullshit, Kagome!" Inuyasha snarled, his dominant fury causing the miko to flinch. His lips curled to reveal his fangs and his fingers permanently scarred the tree supporting him. "Our arranged marriage was just a bunch of crap to unite us and 'awaken' to our full potential. There's no longer any obligation to marry each other."

_He can't be saying that...?_ Her body went numb as her mind blanked. If she heard correctly, he was practically telling her he didn't want to marry her and they hardly meant anything to each other. Like hell! Was this some test? Was he expecting a specific answer from her, or for her to defend her position in this situation?

No...

He thought she would be overjoyed. He thought she craved to cast him aside and resume her 'normal' life only worrying about her grades, scholarship, and prissy friends. Without him in her life, she would be safe from his enemies, ignorant of whatever hidden powers she possessed, and oblivious to the existence of immortals.

But...she couldn't just forget the events of the past six months. How could she?!

How she first saw him, so angel-like, meditating over a lake, appearing so peaceful and beautiful, radiating power in the whirlwind of red and gold that had surrounded him...

How Sesshoumaru and Rin turned out to be their mystery roommates and constantly bickered, yet made-up soon afterwards...or just plain made-_out_...but they always offered their support, even the dog demon grudgingly did...

How she first brushed her lips against her hanyou's affectionately...and hugged him after his terrible dream...when she stated that she would always be there for him...worried for him the night he was ill in Portugal...

How they clung to each other the day after their battle with Meimori, seeking the other's comfort, vowing to stay by the other's side until the end of tomorrow...the end of the future they travelled from...

No, Kagome couldn't forget those times. She wouldn't. She refused to!

And no one, not even Inuyasha, not even the freakin' gods watching over her, could force her to forget memories she held dear in her heart! No one could expect her to abandon the first person she truly cared for, felt committed to—_hell_, was _bonded_ to, just because they both made mistakes in the past!

She swore to never let him leave her again...it was a promise she wouldn't break.

"What do you want from me, Inuyasha?" Kagome chose to ask instead, fisting her hands by her side before narrowing her gaze and lifting her chin proudly. The hanyou's earlier determination was etched in her expression. "Just say once and for all what you want from me."

He mused if it was a trick question and blinked rapidly. "Are you trying to change the subject?" The demon god scowled prior to chuckling without mirth. "Not happening, wench."

"Answer my question."

"Um...how about _no_."

"Answer it!"

She _was_ serious—that much Inuyasha could tell straight away. He gritted his teeth and wondered how he instigated this pointless conversation in the first place. Pain was wracking every cell in his body; he had no time for this! _I was better off keeping my big mouth shut. _

"Well, what should I say?" He answered indifferently, pretending this conversation wasn't extracting a hefty toll on his sanity and pain tolerance. "That I freakin' love you and I want to run off together in the moonlight? That I hate you but I still want to fuck you senseless? That we should have quintuplets while I gamble for ramen?"

Kagome ignored his last statement for now—the student who asked such a stupid question was still alive and it greatly bothered her... Even so, she couldn't deny that his words frayed the delicate knitting of her mind's protective shield and allowed for serious internal damage. Perhaps they should both stop talking and spare the other the grief.

No...she needed to force him to understand her...

"Look, just tell me what you're thinking in your little pea-sized brain. Don't tell me you're a prince and you have to fight a war, or that we no longer have to get married by other people's standards. I only want to know what _you_ want."

"I..." Truthfully, Inuyasha was caught off guard because it was a question he never asked himself before. "Shit, wench, I don't fucking know, alright? I _don't_ know."

"Take your time and think about it since we're not going anywhere tonight."

_Fine!_ Therefore, the hanyou looked inside his mind and thought to six months ago, back to how he had met Kagome. When he read his mother's journal and noted her request of him, he thought of nothing else but finding his fiancée and marrying her. But it wasn't due to his own desire to find a wife—he was driven by his love for the only woman who cared for him: his mother.

If he was honest with himself, he didn't truly hate Meimori, Kizurei, or even Seiryuu—he was just influenced by what he was _supposed_ to feel over them. His kingdom hardly mattered to him, yet it was his mother's domain and he was her legacy; to abandon it would be to abandon his inheritance from her.

And had Naraku not declared war, he wouldn't have cared much about the bastard.

Inuyasha sighed once all these thoughts infiltrated his mind. So then, where did Kagome play a role in the chaos? He attempted to categorize her in his thoughts, but it was increasingly difficult. Gods, he loathed introspection more than anything right about now...

At first, he disliked her. All he had seen in front of him was a conceited wench with nothing on her mind but her studies and her normal mortal life. Yet, then he came to know her a little better and noted her kindness and compassion...especially towards _him_, a half-breed. Once he discovered their Bond of Mates, he was overcome by a sense of belonging...he belonged _beside_ her.

Furthermore, the fact that Kagome could cry for him so easily...touched his heart, _warmed_ it. She was an emotional person by nature, yet each time she worried over him never ceased to amaze him. Heh, his lips almost curved into a smile just pondering it.

So...he didn't hate her.

Though, he tried thinking of how his life was like prior to meeting Kagome, and Inuyasha immediately shook his head in defeat. The miko was his match in almost everything: arguing, stubbornness...even raw energy. For her to suddenly disappear would mean that a part of himself would disintegrate...and the half-immortal wished to prevent it.

He already lost his wings—what else did he need to lose?

"Well?" Kagome sat in silence waiting for her 'fiancé' to finish mulling over something or the other with her arms crossed expectantly. "Are you done?"

While she had waited, she watched the flurry of emotions crossing the hanyou's vibrant eyes, each one holding its own immeasurable intensity. It relieved her that he was taking her question seriously and she mentally grinned. At last they were progressing beyond pointless bickering!

_He does care..._ Somewhat, at least.

Inuyasha growled low in his throat. What an impatient bitch... "I still don't know crap, alright?" A grimace crossed his face, but he ignored the stinging of his back wounds.

"Since you don't know how to think for yourself, I'll help you. Do you _want_ to marry me, Inuyasha?" Kagome asked, her voice betraying sarcasm or anything that would entail she was joking. Unfortunately for the hanyou in front of her, she wasn't. "Just answer me."

_Fuck...she really isn't kidding..._ Oh gods...how the hell was he supposed to respond?! _No, I have to find my own answer this time. _He disregarded the teen's presence and ignored his doubting thoughts evilly whispering the words she expected to slip from his mouth.

For once, Inuyasha deeply pondered the question of marrying Higurashi Kagome _not_ because their parents arranged their marriage, but because of his own free will. He imagined a life with her always by his side, of them living in the immortal realm. In his introspective escapade, the miko was smiling up at him in pure content, standing before a beautiful field of wildflowers that littered the courtyards of his palace in the Eastern Lands as the cool breeze swept her long locks of hair behind her taut shoulders.

Pictures of her acting as his queen, attending to important meeting along side him, re-decorating their bedroom chambers to her liking then sprung in his mind, and the corners of his lips twitched upwards.

Kagome would _definitely_ occupy her time by re-decorating...

And soon they would finally consummate their relationship... He would explore what he dared not to touch before...revel in her moans of pleasure elicited by him and only him while allowing his body and soul to unite with hers in an ultimate act of love...

The thought was quite pleasing, actually. He didn't recoil or suppress it as usual; rather, Inuyasha welcomed it, lost himself in a vision of him pressing his nose against her silky raven hair dampened by sweat... Soon he pictured how it would feel like to reach her smoldering core and leave his mark there, his seed, his children...

_Children! Shit!_ The hanyou's eyes snapped opened—when he had closed them, who knew—and he blinked prior to furrowing his brows. He took a good look at the woman sitting across from him and envisioned their children... Hmph, they would be stubborn hellions, for certain.

Their eyes could be a vibrant shade of gold...or a soft meld of chocolate. Their hair could glisten like a thousand silver diamonds in the sun...or shine like the feathers of a graceful raven bird in the moonlight. Either way, any child they produced in the future was already beautiful in his mind's eye—Inuyasha could ask for nothing more or less.

Yet...was Kagome thinking about their future like he was? Would she even—grr! His answer wouldn't be influenced by doubts! No more doubts, dammit! They were enemies he needed to conquer, and like hell he was about to lose the battle! Keh!

Bastards...

So, what was his final answer, which he would not change until the day he died? Hopefully he wouldn't die any time soon...

"Miss Sorcerer Wench Kagome," Inuyasha smirked at the indignant glare he was shot by the disgruntled miko before continuing in a softer, somewhat amused tone of voice, "I..." Come on, it wasn't too hard to say... "I don't want to marry you."

Err...was he brain dead or something? Amusement and a refusal didn't belong together unless the person uniting them was a sadistic asshole. Then again, Inuyasha might fit the description perfectly.

Kagome was at loss for words. What were words again? She couldn't comprehend their definition.

Heh, she didn't know what she expected him to say—perhaps it was human instinct to think someone would utter a good, positive reply even though it was quite improbable. _Well, it's not the end of the world, right? I mean, I'm only eighteen...I have a lot of time to move on._ Yeah, sure.

And this was coming from the miko who vowed never to lose the hanyou again...

...she wouldn't be losing him if they remained friends, though...

"Oh..." It was all she could say at the moment. Kagome's eyes flickered from side to side trying to find something to focus on that wasn't a handsome face barring her from rational thought. Funny, she wasn't crying like a hapless, emotional teenager yet. Shock was her current savior, she supposed. "Um..."

Now what? _I guess we're just friends...like before._ Friends. Kagome and Inuyasha were just friends. Somehow, it sounded wrong and it left the miko feeling awkward. She never deemed the hanyou to be her friend—he was her fiancé. He was the haughty jerk she was going to marry...um...not anymore, allegedly...

Still...the word friend...was not her favorite word. Nope.

So...if she didn't want them to be friends, shouldn't she at least try to change his mind? Outweighing the cons of marrying her with the pros could help... Wait—did she _want_ to marry Inuyasha? Was that it? Was that why her heart constricted, shock numbed her nerves, and her brain barely registered anything else other than every fiber forming him?

It made sense...she wished to marry Inuyasha, even though she had utterly refused to before. He was nothing but a hot-headed hanyou god who sacrificed too much for his own good...and yet, she could think of no other person to marry. Certainly not Houjo, anyway—she might as well consider a dense, gaping fish for a husband.

At least the fish had the potential of being her wedding dinner...

"Hey, wench," Kagome gasped when a tentative hand brushed against her cheek, and her eyes lifted to stare into the eyes of a gorgeous hanyou god too close for comfort. Whoah...when had he ever touched her cheek?! "Quit jumping to conclusions! You always say you'd listen to me but you never do!"

"Huh?" The raven-haired teen was beyond confused—she ascended to a whole new level of befuddlement. And was there a reason why Inuyasha was within kissing distance? Her senses were highly aware of the fact that his lips were a hairsbreadth away from hers... "What are you doing back here? Aren't you in so much pain you can't move?"

"I'm not _that_ weak, idiot," he growled in response, rolling his eyes at her absurdity. "No more changing the subject! Geez, talking to you is like giving a speech to Rin about the consequences of hitting Sesshoumaru with her damn Skillet of Doom!"

True...Inuyasha and Kagome attempted to 'educate' the younger teen once, alerting her to her fiancé's deteriorated brain cells and the possibility of him transforming into a pumpkin. Rin had merely grinned and said she loved pumpkins because they complemented the sweet honey taste of Winnie the Pooh.

Needless to say, Sesshoumaru hid in the school library for the ensuing hours.

Back to the matter at hand...Rin was too scary to think about sometimes...

"Fine, dog boy. What were you saying?" Even though Kagome already heard enough coming from his delectable mouth... Could they be friends with benefits at least? Gods, the thought of another bitch coming along and 'de-virginizing' Inuyasha caused her heart to tremble in fury.

Grr, his innocence was hers!

Um..._whoah_...calm down...

Inuyasha seemed to be contemplating a theory thoroughly before verbalizing it, but the fact that he was staring at the miko with heated molten eyes unnerved her. She gulped and tried to press deeper into the tree trunk behind her, if only to escape his inspective gaze, but obviously her attempts were futile.

"You asked me if I wanted to marry you..." He began in a low, husky whisper, although Kagome denied it was husky, "I thought about it and said no. Aren't you wondering why?"

Could he read her mind? He was telepathic, she swore it! "I-I...uhh...y-yeah?" Their narrow proximity was melting her brain...

"Wench..." The glow of his lightly tanned skin, a far cry from its former pallid color, combined with the amused, carefree glint in his amber eyes caused Kagome to lose all rational thought process.

His face...his cheeks looked so warm...so soft to touch...so smooth... She couldn't stop herself when her right hand moved to test the surface of his cheek, his forehead...his bottom lip...

And he only watched her, keeping to himself, neither encouraging nor halting... It was as though by forcing him to introspect, he unlocked a part of his unconscious that he had suppressed in fear of being rejected. This was probably the only moment in his lifetime that he would be out of character—no smart remarks, no arguing, no scowling...

"Kagome, I don't want to marry you," Inuyasha repeated in a soft voice, but the teen was barely listening to the statement she already heard prior, "because that's only by human standards in your realm. Call me insane, wench, but I want you to be my mate instead."

_What...?_ Kagome now knew one little fact about her hanyou: he was unpredictable. _Err... _She hadn't expected that coming from him... _Maybe I should make him think more often. _"Um...does that mean I get my ring back?"

"You can have whatever you want, wench."

"_-gasp-_ Then can you call me 'Kagome' now?!" The miko's eyes sparkled in delight. It would be amazing to hear her name rolling off his lips more often!

Inuyasha shook his head. "Nah, I'm not _that_ nice."

Kagome sighed in defeat, but smiled nonetheless. "And to think I'm saying yes to your proposal, anyway... You should call _me_ the insane one."

"Don't worry—I already do."

"Jerk."

"Wench."

"Insane jerk."

"Insane wench."

"Asshole."

"Bitch..._my_ bitch."

And despite their pointless name calling session, Kagome couldn't help erupting into a fit of laughter. She was at a moment in her life in which she was happy...this was true happiness! No one could understand how she felt unless he or she was with their significant other... Heck, she didn't understand it completely, either.

Oh well.

Somehow...in the back of her mind...she knew her happiness wouldn't last forever.

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**A/N: END! I don't feel like ranting anymore, I ranted too much already...**

**Next chapter: Kagome and Inuyasha are still in the unknown...you'll know more about their situation next chappie. And Sessh still needs to figure out what to do about Rin's proposal...**

**So...when will Kagome be mated to Inuyasha? Will Meimori ever find out what Naraku really did to Kagura and why she's so evil now? When's Yuka coming in? When's Kagome's happiness going to run out? Will Inuyasha's wings grow back? **

**I hope so...**

**REVIEW! Cuz I'm miserable and sick... **


	38. By His Side

**A/N: W-Wha...? What's this...? Can it be...an update? YES! It's an update a week from last chapter's update! WOOT! Guess what, guys? I'm not sick anymore! WOOT! But, sadly, I have pink eye instead... *deflates* Well, at least I'm in a better mood than last time!**

**Anymelon, thanks for your reviews, guys! They inspire me A LOT! KEEP IT GOING! AND FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO WRITE LONG REVIEWS, I LOVE YOU VERY MUCH! :-D **

**Oh. My. Gods. Guess what time it is? Can you guess? It's time for...**MY 300th REVIEWER AWARD**! HURRAY! We're almost to 300 reviews for this story and I'm so proud because I have never gotten this far! Seriously, I never finish stories I begin 'cuz I get bored with them--this is the longest story I've ever written and my goal is to finish it! WOOT! **

PRIZE INFORMATION:** Alright, for you new readers out there, this is the deal since I love you all so much. If when you review and you notice that you're the 300th reviewer, I award you a prize! For the lack of being able to send you an **_**actual**_** prize... O.O The prize is getting to give me an idea for this story and I will try to include it no matter what! **

**Past winners:** VlnVla2008**--she wanted Inu, Kags, Sessh, and Rin to go to Portugal, and they did!** fangremtom2**--she wanted Inu and Kags to get fluffy moments with a bit of a lime... **

**Weeell...all I can say is that this is the final chapter dedicated to **fangremtom2**! I hope you like it! :-D**

**So, people, review to make me the happiest person alive and get a chance to dictate this story! You want Inu and Kags to finally do the do, then compete to be my** 300th reviewer**! Remember, I love you all anyway and I'm open to suggestions!**

**_WARNING:_ Things get steamy in this chapter...LIME ALERT!**

**Enjoy the chappie!**

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**Oh My Gods! 38**

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"Gah! Men are so annoying!"

"Um...Lady Rin, please—"

"I might as well be lesbian! _Then_ I wouldn't have to deal with stubborn egotistical pigs!"

"Lord Sesshoumaru would not be pleased—"

"Hmph! I bet if I asked Meimori to marry me, he'd say yes!"

"Err...that's true, actually..."

"The nerve of that bastard! He just left! Who told him he could leave?!"

"Well...he _is_ a prince, my lady..."

"HE SAID HE WAS GOING TO THE _BATHROOM_ AND HE **LEFT! COWAAARD!" **

Jaken stared at his flea demon companion, who was attempting to assuage a certain cinnamon-eyed teen's increasing ire, and shook his head in pity. Myouga was failing pitifully—at this rate, Rin would just pluck him off the couch he was helplessly bouncing on, chuck him into a pot and make a stew out of him.

Hm...the stew would taste terrible...

The retainer sighed from his seat on the opposite love seat observing the furious teen's tirade with long since tired eyes. He didn't know what occurred between his master and his human woman ever since they returned from their search for the half-breed, but one thing was for certain: Sesshoumaru disappeared and Rin was angry.

And she was a bit hurt, if he dared to add.

Her bright cinnamon eyes, although blazing like fires from hell, were glistening with tears she tried desperately to keep at bay. The fingers clenched into fists at her sides constantly shook with frustration, and in order to keep from trembling without control, they would sometimes hide beneath the mass of obsidian hair on top of their owner's head. Anyone would feel sorry for the poor human...except for Jaken.

Truthfully, he didn't know what the problem was. So what if his master left for the immortal realm...perhaps never to return? At some point he would have returned since he was the future king of Makai—he couldn't just abandon his title for a mere human wretch.

He remembered when Rin was Queen of Makai in his past life...she was a benevolent ruler. But she had been incredibly weak because she constantly allowed her foster sister Rima to step all over her. And who would be stupid enough to conceive a child in the middle of a war? Hmph!

Then again...Lord Sesshoumaru was his kindest around the mortal... If his sadistic master was always in a good mood, then he wouldn't feel the need to inflict bodily harm on his loyal retainer, now would he? A smile appeared on Jaken's face, making his yellow eyes glow gleefully.

Sooo...why was he just sitting around again?

"What's so wrong about marrying me?! I mean...sure, I can be a bit weird, and I don't like ordering people around, but I can adapt to the royal life! I can!" Rin was despairing as she paced in the living, her eyes frantically staring at the walls, floors, and her two 'servants'. "Why can't he understand that my life here means nothing without him?"

Did he _want_ her to return to a normal life completely alone again with no one to call a true friend? Did he _want_ her to continue camouflaging in the background at school to avoid socializing? Did he _want_ her to finally decide her life was completely worthless being bullied and merely studying to prevent pain?

How could Sesshoumaru just leave without even saying goodbye?! Sure, saying goodbye was hard, but he was a freakin' man! Rin assumed men were brave, and Sesshoumaru just so happened to be gifted with facile emotional detachment! But he was a coward! Grr!

"Gods, look at me..." Rin placed her hands over her face and slowly sat down beside Myouga on the loveseat. She wiped her eyes a couple of times, yet refrained from breaking down in tears in front of people. "I'm a total wreck. No wonder he doesn't want to marry me...I'm so weak... He has to fight in a war and here I am almost bawling my eyes out."

If she desired to help lead a kingdom during trying times, her own emotional stability was required first and foremost. How could people believe in her to provide support for them when she couldn't stop crying because her fiancé disappeared? Rin didn't want to be dependent on anyone—not even Sesshoumaru.

Yet...it was impossible to deny how much she grew to need him...

Hmph, how ironic. At first, they attempted to avoid each other at all costs—hell, Sesshoumaru did it almost effortlessly. But even so, she still developed somewhat of a crush on him...but he decimated it to keep her at a safe distance. What changed between them? How in the world did they transverse from disliking each other to being inseparable?

Rin felt like she knew the dog demon her entire life—she _had_ known him her entire life! Ever since she was little...about seven years old... She had a dream once, a few weeks ago, about their past lives and how they met. At the time, she hadn't known it was actually a long lost _memory_. Now the dream was held all the more dear in her heart.

The events in the dream occurred after one of her brutal beatings at the orphanage, when she was seven years old. Alone and bruised, she had cried to herself for the first time since her parent's death three years earlier. And like a glorious, mythical prince, a ten-year old Sesshoumaru appeared at her windowsill, curiously gazing at her...his expression blank...

...he claimed she called to him and he came. He asked her what she required of him.

But Rin hadn't answered—_couldn't_ have answered because she was mute.

Yet, the young prince _saved_ her. He became her friend. He whisked her away to his immortal world where she was protected by him and _only_ him...where she met Inuyasha and Kagome, inevitably Meimori as well. The ensuing events—such as falling in love with him, Meimori meeting Rima, marrying Sesshoumaru, etc.—occurred in a chained sequence as a result.

_I can't just give up on a history like ours,_ the teen mentally sighed, burrowing her head in her arms. _He can't leave me like this! The past may repeat itself but I don't care!_ A whimper died in her throat—she wouldn't be so weak as to scream and cry her pain away.

"Come now, Lady Rin, Lord Sesshoumaru merely wishes to keep you safe," Myouga consoled from next to her, jumping onto her lap almost effortlessly. For once he set aside his lecherousness and seriously attempted to comfort his lord's lady. "Naraku is a terrible demon god—ruthless in every way possible. And you are his target, you know..."

"Yeah, but so is everyone else, _especially_ Sesshoumaru and Inuyasha!"

"And what makes you think Naraku won't use you to hurt my lord for that reason?"

The flea demon had a point. "Why do _I_ have to be the damsel in distress? I can fend for myself!" Sesshoumaru provided her with immortal energy and a demon-crafted weapon—what more could Rin ask for in order to be deemed strong? "Argh! What should I do, you guys? I...I-I can't live like this..."

Even though the possibility of her dying if she travelled to the immortal realm and resided there during the war was very high, Rin would prefer the probable fate instead of remaining here, always wishing to be by her fiancé's side. Thoughts of him entranced by another woman infiltrated her mind, and the teen shook them away.

No, they were bonded. Therefore, they _belonged_ together. No one could separate them!

"Hmph, I don't know what you're whining about, you silly human." At long last, Jaken decided to have an input in the conversation!

Rin merely removed her hands from her face and glanced at the short green imp with her head cocked. Myouga mirrored her state. "Well, what do you suggest I do, toadman?" She was open to any suggestions at this point.

"You're not exactly proving that you truly want to be by Lord Sesshoumaru's side forever."

"Proving...?" The teen was astounded... Was Jaken attempting to insult her or help her? She blinked, confused. _How do I prove such a thing other than screaming about it all day?_ "But I _do_ want to be by his side." _Forever._ The simple word almost called a smile to her haggard face.

"Why?" Jaken asked as though he was interrogating a criminal; there was no sympathy in his tone of voice. His gaze narrowed and he crossed his arms, scoffing at the pitiful excuse of a woman in front of him. "All you're doing is whining and complaining. Why do you want to risk everything and follow an _immortal_ into a _dangerous_ place for mortals, hm?"

Usually human survival instincts kicked in and prevented a foolish being from venturing into the unknown...

"I..." _Oh gods, he's right. I've been whining..._ And she hated people who whined. What a hypocrite... "Because I care about him...because we're bonded..." As she spoke, Rin's vigor returned with ferocity. "Because there's no way I'm going to live without him and he's not casting me aside so easily! I'm not weak—I was the Queen of Makai before and I **will** be again!"

Myouga's eyes were shining...he was so proud of his lady! Yes! Sesshoumaru needed a strong, assertive mate who was willing to fight by his side in the worse of battles, not a delicate flower always swaying in the direction of the wind! It was admirable in a human, and the immortal demon only hoped his master's brother would realize it soon.

Jaken cleared his throat while nodding his head in approval. He, too, shared Myouga's point of view...for once. "So why are you still here telling me this?" At this, Rin furrowed her eyebrows and beckoned him to explain. "You want to be by his side—go claim your husband and kingdom."

"Wait a second! I can't travel to the immortal realm on my own!" If she could, she wouldn't have stayed behind, duh! From what she heard, only Kagome had that ability and she was off training in the wilderness!

"Oooh, I understand now!" Myouga began to bounce on her lap in joy once again. Rin prayed to any higher entity listening to her that he didn't venture inside her shirt like last time... "My Lady, Jaken and I will be happy to take you! Lord Sesshoumaru will be angry, but it is worth it!"

"You're actually...taking me?" Rin couldn't believe her ears... "I'm going to go to the immortal realm and...?" Wow! Now Sesshoumaru couldn't run away from her! She'd prove to him once and for all that she wasn't just an eighteen-year-old mortal with a stupid crush.

No, she was Queen of Makai and the future wife of the most powerful dog demon in the immortal realm. She...

...she _really_ cared for him...almost to the point of...of...

_This isn't the time to think of what I feel for Sesshoumaru. I can figure that out later._ The teen stood from the couch, her expression determined with her shoulders pulled back and chin high confidently. "Toadman, thank you very much. I really appreciate it."

"Yeah, yeah. I better not get beaten to a pulp for this..." Jaken muttered, even though he probably _would_ be beaten in the end. _It's not like I'm doing this for the girl in the first place. My lord's happiness comes first! Bah! Her tears and distress don't affect me! _Sure.

"Well then," Rin began, genuinely smiling for the first time in an hour, "I'm ready when you two are." However, her eyes widened for a millisecond before she dashed into the kitchen. Jaken and Myouga stared after her in confusion, but gaped when the teen returned with an overly large skillet leaning in her hand.

The crazed glint in her eyes and the evil, psychotic smirk transforming her smile caused the two retainers to shiver in pure fear. They didn't even _want_ to know what she planned to do with a skillet in the immortal realm...

"_Now_ I'm ready to teach my fiancé a lesson," Rin said indifferently, as though she never noticed the weight of a huge black skillet dwarfing the size of her hands. "Let's go before it's too late! I _will_ kidnap Sesshoumaru and force him to marry me by midnight—I swear it!"

Jaken and Myouga gulped. More like Lord Sesshoumaru was going to blast the shit out of them by midnight...

**

* * *

**

Dang it, who ever suggested training with an insane hanyou?! As if _she_, a mortal miko, stood a chance against him! Ha! He wasn't focused on training; he was focused on torturing her! And no one could say he didn't enjoy spinning her head round and round and round and round and...

Whoah...too many 'rounds'...

Anyway..._this_ was her situation.

First off, her and her fiancé had been practically kidnapped by a stoic miko with a stick up her ass and forced to train for an oncoming war in the span of a _month_. Then, while being transported to Bankotsu's private training grounds, they became trapped in a void between dimensions and pestered by two phantom beasts. Luckily they managed to escape, but her fiancé suffered a grave injury she wished not to repeat.

And _now_ they were stuck in a totally different dimension altogether—the place she dubbed 'the wilderness'.

Actually, Inuyasha knew where they were, he just wasn't telling her. Wonderful!

But it wasn't the cause of her current dilemma. Nope. It was the fact that after two days of playing it safe in the forest and finally resting, the hanyou she deemed her future mate decided he wanted to train and hone his battle skills. Hmph, he truly meant to torture her.

But geez! He had his wings ripped off and he pranced around like he only scraped his knee! And he became moody and pissed off when she asked him if his golden appendages were going to grow back or not! Men these days were too testy!

_I should threaten to castrate him like Sango does to Miroku. It works quite well, actually._ She'd love to see the look on Inuyasha's face if in the middle of the night he awoke to see her holding up a knife to his 'dignity'. _I'm sure his balls will fall off if I beat him with a stick long enough, too..._ Mhm...and she was allegedly sane.

Kagome suppressed the urge to growl like a rabid dog and concentrated on not making a single sound. Inuyasha had derived a drill more difficult for her than for him; she was supposed to bear her own against him in close quarters combat. What the hell was wrong with his brain?! Did she _look_ like an up-close fighter?!

Hmph! He even took away the beautiful ebony wooden bow he lent her!

But the jerk wasn't even standing in front of her awaiting the first move. No, he was hiding in their surroundings, perhaps stalking her from a tree trop. She sighed and pondered his whereabouts. He had warned he was going to surprise attack and she was to prepare for it, but how?!

_Ok, I'm a miko—I can sense demonic auras, right?_ The miko doubted in her ability to distinguish his presence in the forest by solely locating his youki. She was certain Inuyasha was aware enemies might sense his powerful youki and probably practiced for years attempting to conceal it. Yes, immortals possessed that enviable ability. _I don't like the fact that he's watching me right now...I can feel it. _

And she was just standing around like dead meat...waiting to be attacked...yeah.

Her grip on a long wooden staff—Inuyasha decided it was fair to fight with sticks and not bladed weapons, hmph—tightened considerably when she heard the recognizable snap of a twig nearby. Kagome shifted her gaze to where she thought the sound came from, but was unable to see or sense any mishap.

_Why am I the prey being hunted?_ She inwardly grumbled, turning around in a circle to take in the small forest clearing she stood in. _He's stalking me...I now officially hate stalkers._ Definitely.

_Snap! _

The miko barely refrained from exclaiming in surprise and turned around again only to be met with the normal sight of trees and adorning bushes. There was no sign of a silver-haired hanyou wearing a black battle outfit yet. _I wish I was still wearing my breastplate._ It made her feel safe; however, Inuyasha once again thought it would be fair to take off their metal armor.

Grr! Since when was he a follower of good ethics and fair play?! He wasn't being fair by using his demonic traits to his advantage!

_Alright. This is actually good practice if I think about it. A lot of enemies surprise attack and I have to be ready for it. _It was what her fiancé was trying to ingrain into her brain: not all people were honorable and warned of a looming attack. She then attempted to open her senses again and focused on Inuyasha's familiar tangible red youki.

Nothing. So, she tried another method.

The forest was completely bare of outside disturbances such as forest animals and birds—in quite contrast to the forest at night. Therefore, she concentrated on irregularities in life energies around her.

_Snap!_

Damn those twigs! Inuyasha was stepping on them on purpose just to freak the crap out of her! And as Kagome was mentally ranting about how inconsiderate he was, her sixth sense suddenly alerted her to a presence behind her and—

**Clash!**

"Heh, I thought I'd be able to knock you out."

Kagome narrowed her chocolate eyes at her amused fiancé and used all her inner strength to push against his wooden staff with her own. They were locked in a stalemate with neither side overwhelming the other, yet the miko was aware that if he desired to, Inuyasha could easily disarm her, perhaps single-handedly.

"S-Shut up!" He wasn't going easy on her—that was for sure! Her left foot, which was two feet in back of her right one as she pushed against her fiancé's weapon, was slowly sliding backwards, shifting her weight. Maintaining this position would be difficult but she didn't have the strength to win this lock! "Don't assume I'm helpless!"

"Oh yeah?" Inuyasha scoffed without mirroring Kagome's strain and flushed face. "If you can beat me in a fight, wench, then I'll answer any question you ask for the rest of the day."

"What?" The notion was enticing since there was still so much Kagome wanted to learn about the hanyou, yet knew he would recoil and recluse himself if she inquired. Now she would be able to ask without feeling guilty about upsetting him afterwards! "You're trying to trick me! You know I won't win!"

"Keh! My mother taught me to always have faith in myself—you should borrow some of her insight." At long last, much to the raven-haired teen's relief, Inuyasha briskly jumped backwards, breaking their lock. He smiled at the sigh passing her lips. "How about it? You up for a challenge?"

Kagome lifted her gaze and fought the urge to return his somewhat excited smile. One looking at him now would never guess that his wings had been ripped off two days ago—he was the spitting image of young and reckless. The playful glint in his amber eyes along with the matching smile accented his boyishly handsome and announced his good mood.

How it arose after all he had suffered through, the miko was unsure.

"Well, this is an offer I can't refuse," the teen said, emulating her fiancé's current smirk. She grabbed her wooden staff with two hands and poised it diagonally in front of her. "Come on, dog boy, give me your best shot."

"Hells yeah! That's more like it, wench!"

The two opponents circled each other, calculating their next actions and trying to discern the other's first moves. Finally, Inuyasha charged forward with his staff poised perpendicular to Kagome's chest, yet the teen was able to move out of the way in the nick of time. To her surprise, however, a staff was forcibly brought down inches away from her head and would have impacted her skull had she not ducked!

_Great, what was I thinking?_ Kagome jumped when the hanyou attempted to sweep her off her feet and managed to stumble backwards as he raised his weapon in a slicing motion. _He's hell-bent on winning!_ By placing her staff vertically in front of her, she was able to stop another slashing attack, but only momentarily.

She continued to dodge him at every interval possible, just barely surviving against his determined pursuit and relentless calculated attacks. It was like he read her mind and already knew her every move! If the miko decided to attempt an offensive attack and strike him in the neck, he was one step ahead—she couldn't get near him!

_He moves too swiftly to find a weak point,_ Kagome noted during another lengthy lock of weapons, one in which the two sparring partners merely glared at each other as though will alone would grant them victory. She narrowed her gaze and gritted her teeth. _But there must be a way to—_ **"AH!"**

**THUD!**

Kagome landed on the ground with a loud thud and groaned when a dull pain settled in the middle of her side. No bones were broken at least, but her arms were covered in scrapes. Again, nothing serious. She glanced up only to see the sharp end of a staff pointed at the jugular vein on her exposed neck...

One cut there and she was done for.

"You took too long to recover," Inuyasha admonished, retracting his weapon as he took a few steps away from the miko. She rolled her eyes at his negligence to help her stand. "If you're hit and you fall, at least roll out of the way in case you get stabbed."

"Why of course your Majesty," Kagome grumbled as she stood on her shaky limbs, ignoring the pain in her side for the moment. She wiped the dirt on her long black dress and retrieved her fallen weapon. "Well, I guess lost." _That was totally worth while._ "So, now wha—HEY!"

**THUD! **

Once again Kagome landed on the ground, but this time on her back. She winced, sitting up, and noted that unlike her other fall, this one left some lasting pain. "What's wrong with you?! Jerk-face!"

"Keh! It's not over unless _I_ say it's over!" Inuyasha huffed in annoyance. "Do you think your enemy is going to wait for you to stand back up? Hell no! Get up quick and prepare for another attack! Stop whining about everything like a little girl and fight!"

"Fine!" Kagome heeded his advice and wasted no time to charge forward, nearly catching the hanyou by surprise. However, she failed to hit him because he back-flipped out of the way before she descended upon him. He smirked and his eyes lit in pure wonder.

The miko didn't give up there; she continued to charge forward instead of retreating and slashed countless of times at the defensive hanyou. She bore her teeth as she harnessed all her muscle strength to lift her staff high above her head and swing it down on her opponent; yet, he sidestepped it and elbowed her in the back.

Kagome crashed on the ground for the third time. At this point, she considered herself pitiful, but she wasn't about to let Inuyasha know that! She was going to prove she wasn't a pansy! So, she pretended she was in grave pain while keeping her back to the hanyou, groaning to keep up the illusion.

She opened her senses and focused on Inuyasha's brimming aura—it was hesitantly approaching her, almost fearful. Inwardly, she prepared for an attack, cryptically gripping the handle of the crude staff in her right hand, still pretending she was in pain.

_That's it, come closer you stupid jerk..._ The miko waited for the perfect moment to strike... He was stepping closer and closer... Finally, he was only a foot away from her.

"K-Kagome...?" At the moment, guilt wasn't registering that she was playing with his emotions. Well, it was his fault! "Are you—argh! **DAMMIT!"**

Just when Inuyasha was directly behind her, Kagome grabbed her staff and rammed its end point—the one not sharpened—into his gut. Now that he was off balance, she quickly stood, turned, and slammed him to the floor shoulder-first, sending them both crashing to the grassy ground. While straddling him, she lastly disarmed the hanyou prior to panting heavily, grinning in victory.

"Heh, keep your emotions out of battle—you're not supposed to feel bad for hurting the enemy," Kagome muttered as she regained her breath, still beaming in pride, and her ego boosted just a bit. Inuyasha didn't reply, but she hardly wondered why.

_Wow, I won..._ It numbed her mind so much she was no longer paying attention to her captive. _I can't believe I just did that... I should apologize but I don't feel like it._ Ha ha! Apologize?! She would never apologize to the enemy! Err...actually, she _would_, depending on the matter at the given moment. _Well, I—_ "Oomph!"

However...victory was claimed too soon since Inuyasha apparently wasn't defeated yet. He turned the tables...or more like switched their positions so that he was on top of the raven-haired teen, pinning her arms above her head incase she tried to outsmart him again. His knees were braced on either side of her thighs, and his free hand grasped her neck tight enough to threaten, but lose enough not to cause pain.

"Damn conniving wench," Inuyasha mumbled under his breath, shaking his head at her absurd ideas, "you thought you won me? Pssft, yeah right. Victory isn't claimed until the opponent is dead—and you only disarmed me."

"You have to admit I had you there." Kagome would have said more had a lump not settled in her throat, and a smile died on her lips. Their current position increased her body temperature and her head felt like mush... Hell, the flush blooming in her cheeks was probably hot enough to fry an omelet.

The hanyou smiled in her place and slowly nodded in concession. "You're still not getting that prize..."

"Shoot...I was so determined to win."

"Too bad."

Arrogance was soon wiped from his expression, however; his face was presently unreadable. It relaxed enough to make him appear his actual age of eighteen years instead of an edgy, pessimistic warrior. Kagome only just realized how young he was...and to think he had to become a king in a short period of time...

"Inuyasha...?" His golden amber eyes, molten in a meld thicker than honey, smothered her, and she lost the ability to speak once more. It was like a magnetic pull enveloped them, charging the air around them to render it tense and hard to inhale. Kagome swore not enough oxygen was getting into her lungs and it was the reason why she felt lightheaded.

The warm hand on her throat also relaxed, and it rubbed the place where it had grasped, massaging her sensitive skin as though apologizing. Kagome bit her lip—if only Inuyasha knew his 'innocent' act _almost_ made her moan...gods! She would have died of embarrassment!

But..._was_ it so innocent?

"I never touched you like this, have I?" It was more of a statement than a question, so Kagome merely swallowed and didn't respond. His tone of voice was soft and mellow, somewhat contemplative... A faraway look in his eyes told her his mind was in the past.

And his hand soon travelled lower...past her throat...to her collarbone...and beyond...

Kagome's arms twitched, but the hand mercilessly pinning them to the ground refused to grant them freedom. What was Inuyasha doing?! He was torturing her! _So what if he hasn't touched me?! I don't care! _No, no, she _did_ care...

It was totally unfair that Rin, a teen a few months younger than her, got more action with Sesshoumaru in the span of _two_ minutes than Kagome ever did in her entire life!

Apparently, Inuyasha also realized this. "Tell me when to stop." His right hand resumed its path of torture, sliding down the length of her upper body, along the smoothness of her silk dress.

She was forced to sharply suck in a breath of air when her fiancé came upon the mounds of her breasts; all the while, his gaze penetrated her, sought to see inside of her. What he was trying to prove, she didn't know. Did he think she would tell him to stop?

Truthfully, it would be the safest route. But...

...Kagome couldn't deny this wasn't something she longed for...his touch...

The exploring hand embraced the swell of her left breast and the miko arched her neck, biting down on her bottom lip hard. His fingertips grazed the sensitive flesh, testing her limits, discovering the wondrous components of her curves... They teased the nubs they encountered that were fighting against their black silk bindings, and their excitement reflected the way Kagome was trying with her best efforts not to moan out loud.

Yet...Inuyasha only stared at her struggle with herself...increased her torture until he noted the places she longed to be touched...where she wanted to be satisfied. His hand moved on, at last, and Kagome held her breath, awaiting its next destination. It followed the slender dip of her narrow waist and the width of her slender hips, but returned to the center of her flat abdomen, flattening right under her bosom.

_Oh gods, what is he doing to me?!_ The teen cried in her mind, wishing to be able to move and return the pleasure she was feeling in every corner of her body, but she couldn't! She was solely accepting his slow, tedious exploration of her body as though he never laid eyes upon a woman in his entire life.

What terrified her was that she hardly minded... _Oh my gods, oh my gods... _She was supposed to be stopping him like any normal eighteen-year-old virgin waiting to have sex after marriage! Hell, this never should have started! But no words spewed from her mouth! _Can someone die from pleasure-overload? _

Her nerves were nearly exploding underneath her clammy skin...

Lower...his hand crept even lower...lightly massaging her abdomen as goose bumps littered her arms... Inuyasha ventured to the beginning of the slit of her dress...right in the middle of her thigh... His eyes never left hers, still silently observing every gasp she attempted to hide, every arch of her neck or back, every flutter of her eyelids...

"Tell me when to stop..." He repeated, but received no reply. Therefore, his right hand continued...played along the hem of her stocking...the tip of the slit's triangular peak...

That was, until his hand grew bored and moved to seek a greater warmth, the warmth encased between black silk and burning skin...

All Kagome could think was, _Oh. My. Gods._

His fingertips brushing against the sensitive skin of her thigh left behind a trail of searing scorch marks, yet it only increased her arousal, heightened her awareness of one area of her body in particular hidden in the apex between her thighs. Kagome couldn't believe what was occurring; never in her life had she imagined her and Inuyasha in this position!

He was too innocent!

Too...too...argh!

She gasped, however, when his hand stroked the outside of her thigh, though crept closer to her inner thigh, where the heat of her body was originating from. Instantly, muscles she never knew she had in this region tightened as tension invaded them, awaiting his sweet caress in delight...

The miko felt as though nothing in the world would alleviate the ache that had settled in her core long ago other than the fullness of him, the sensation of him entering her completely and marking her with his own heat. Kagome hadn't thought about...well, _going_ so far with him before.

Inside of her...becoming one with her...sharing one body, one mind, one soul...it sounded enticing.

Yes, it was very enticing, indeed. At least her foggy mind thought it would be the best solution to the ache in her body... A human's first instinct was to alleviate and avoid pain, right? Therefore, she had a viable excuse to yearn for him...to allow him to aid her release her body's tension...

"I-Inu...ahh...yash..." His name resulted in a moan rolling off her tongue, and her voice, husky and breathless, sounded foreign to her own ears. But for some reason...she just couldn't tell him to stop. The words wouldn't pass her mouth.

And she wondered...how far he would go...or how far she would _let_ him go until it became too far...until it resulted in...

Luckily, the hand halted its voyage, and Kagome's arms were no longer pinned. However, instead of a reprieve, a pair of lips hungrily descended on her own, aggressively devouring them, muffling her shocked exclamation. The miko blinked but responded to the assault with as much vigor, wishing to return the pleasure and torture he instigated. She fisted her hands into his hair and pulled him on top of her roughly, parting her lips to taste him and to allow him to taste her in a voracious cycle pleasing them both.

Kagome's hands caressed every bit of skin they could find—the hanyou's flushed cheeks, his neck, his back... Without even noticing, she found herself accommodating him between her legs as she wrapped them around his waist, only serving to press him closer, harder on top of her.

Was this how it felt like to long for someone, to desire someone so badly one lost all reason and rationality? All that registered was how much she wanted him...how she couldn't think of anyone else except for him... The solid ground beneath her wasn't picked up by her senses; the open air around her was not pestering her.

She just wanted him to kiss her, touch her, desire her, _love_ her...

...and she just wanted to do the same to him.

Kagome moaned against the searing mouth avidly moving against hers and arched her back at the friction rubbing against her painful ache, grinding it, soothing it as the body above her growled deeply. Inuyasha migrated to attack her neck, nipping at the delicate skin he found there, sucking when he desired a better taste, reveling in the moans grazing his twitching ears.

But when the pressure of his instinct to mate became too much...too overbearing...

...Inuyasha stopped before he was completely claimed by his inner beast and pulled back.

At first, his expression was of a deer caught in headlights—he looked to be stricken by horror. But before he could stand and curse himself into oblivion—and in the future avoid any contact with her whatsoever—Kagome grabbed the sides of his face.

She tenderly caressed his cheeks while smiling profoundly, her eyes blissfully dazed...

The hanyou blinked, somewhat confused...but leaned in to press his lips against hers in a chaste message...a message imploring her to wait to take their relationship to the next level. Kagome merely sighed and nodded, yet beckoned the hanyou to lie beside her on the ground. Together, the couple gazed at the pieces and bits of the sky they could see beyond the looming treetops, unperturbed by anything else.

_I wouldn't give this up for the world,_ Kagome mused after her heightened senses returned to their normal levels and arousal at last exited her system. _I never felt this way for someone before. And I don't think I ever will._ It was why she couldn't afford to lose her hanyou.

No. She couldn't.

Kagome grasped her fiancé's right hand in her left one, rubbing her thumb over his palm reassuringly. She wasn't leaving him, not even when he was going to fight in a war and possibly lose his life to an obsessive bastard like Naraku. Hmph. She would be there fighting beside him—she _would_ learn how to fight for his sake, or at least enough to ensure her safety.

Heck, she knew she sucked at fighting, but for the sake of a life eternally bound to him, she was going to make sure she knew how to defend herself properly. It was the least she could do in remuneration for his efforts assimilating in the mortal realm.

And yes, even though she would have to make a great sacrifice...Kagome was certain she would remain by Inuyasha's side, which meant...

..._living_ in the immortal realm.

The revelation made her feel giddy inside, and she grinned, sighing once more in bliss. Inuyasha softly snorted from beside her, probably wondering what she found so amusing. Yet...nothing could ruin their relaxing moment...not now...

...or at least that was until...

"Grr! How the hell am I supposed to survive in a stupid forest by myself and find food and all that other crap?!"

Inuyasha and Kagome bolted upright in surprise and shared an incredulous glance. Someone, a female, was heading towards them in the clearing...and they both recognized the voice immediately...although they wished they hadn't.

"What the fuck is _she_ doing here?!" The animosity laced in the demon god's voice proved Kagome's theory that a certain someone he hated was amongst them. He cursed under his breath and stood to his full height; all the while, he glared straight ahead of him.

Any remnants of peace and relaxation soon ebbed away in a split second.

"I have no clue... How did she even _get_ here?" Kagome followed her fiancé and stood, but she inwardly noted the slight curl of his upper lip and the bestial, aggressive gleam in his eyes.

_He feels threatened... _Of course, he hated _her_. It was only natural he would feel uncomfortable with her oncoming presence. "But we can't leave her to fend for herself..."

He never replied.

"Shoot! I hate this stupid outfit! Argh! I hate mud! I hate forests! I hate my life!"

Seconds later, an eighteen-year-old high school student stumbled into the clearing. She scowled at her new surroundings, but when she lifted her stormy blue-gray eyes...she gasped and smiled. "Kagome! Inu-freak! I'm so glad to see you!"

Kagome, however, lacked the auburn-haired teen's enthusiasm and relief. "Hey...Yuka." _Someone, anyone...just kill me now._ Painfully.

* * *

**A/N: END! OMG WHAT THE HELL WAS THAT?!?!?! You must all hate me right now...how are there going to be steamy Inu and Kag moments if Yuka's around?! Hehehe... Inu is so cute--never touched a woman before. Yes, Inuyasha, Kagome is a woman--her boobs are real. **

**At least I hope so...**

Next chapter**: Hm...let's see...well, Sessh is gonna get a big surprise... Inu kinda forgets once again that he's only half-demon... A little birdie finally tells Meimori that not everything is what it seems... O.U**

**Sooo...why the hell does Inu want to wait to have sex?! Will Sessh be happy to see Rin? Who will help Meimori realize he's a big fat idiot? WHAT THE HELL IS YUKA DOING IN THE IMMORTAL REALM?!?! How did she get there?! Isn't anyone kinda suspicious? And will Kagome end up living in the immortal realm as planned? **

**I don't know cuz I'm kinda evil, so... REVIEW! REMEMBER, COMPETE TO BE MY 300th REVIEWER! I wonder who's gonna be my 300th reviewer... :-D**


	39. Of Idiots and Morons

**A/N: Yes, me alive. Me suffered a bit of writer's block and laziness. But now me on spring break so me can write more. :-D **

**Tada! After much toiling...my 300th reviewer is... *insert drum roll here* **PuppiesAreAdorable**! PAPPY!!!!!!! :-D The title is well-earned! And, well, you know the drill! And I still have to review your story so keep on waiting for me! WOOT! PARTY TIME! **

**I could've made this chapter shorter...but I was nice and didn't leave too many cliffhangers! Nah, I'm lying!**

**Enjoy the chappie!**

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**Oh My Gods! 25**

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He couldn't live like this.

Dammit, what the hell was wrong with him? If Rima saw him now, she would die of jealousy and he would probably kill himself in shame. Hmph...longing for another woman who wasn't her...who belonged to a bastard he hated... What kind of dog demon was he? His kind was supposed to be known for loyalty to one's mate above all else!

Yet...here he was...lying despondently on his bed...wishing Kagura lied beside him.

_I can't believe this_, Meimori sighed in his mind, groaning miserably as he curled his body into a ball weary of the world. _I centered my life, my _second_ shot at life on Rima. Everything I've done was for her! Reviving Naraku, plotting to kill Sesshoumaru, betraying my father, desiring Rin...everything! But...gods, what have I done? _

He unleashed an evil onto the entire universe... His efforts in the name of love were rendered useless! How could he say he loved Rima when he truthfully yearned for Kagura's touch? And why the hell did he only realize it once she was taken away from him?!

No...the dog demon knew why. It was because he assumed Kagura would always stand beside him, support any decision he made. He wrongfully assumed he could have Rima as his mate and still have his best friend close by. Heh, as if. Rima hated the wind sorceress and vice versa.

He just neglected their loathing of each other...perfected the visage of an arrogant prince.

Yet...he initiated these plans for Rima and he was determined to finish them for her. Yes, he was going to revive his deceased love—no matter what. Meimori smiled for the first time in two days at the thought of having his dark-haired beauty in his arms again, gazing at him with those piercing sapphire blue eyes he adored.

Kagura was his best friend—that was why her betrayal hurt him so much. But Rima was the love of his life; she couldn't be replaced by anyone. _Ever._ And he would come to accept it...one day he would accept the fact that he lost his best friend but gained a companion for the rest of his immortal life.

"If our master sees you now, he'd beat the shit out of your pitiful self."

Meimori growled low in his throat and snapped his head up to glare at his twin, who was standing at the edge of the king-sized bed smiling down at him. He rolled his Arctic silver eyes before muttering, "And to what do I owe this wonderful visit?"

Well, he didn't really need to ask. He and Kizurei were bonded since they were twins; they came from the same womb at nearly the same time. They grew up together and shared similar looks—of course they'd be able to sense the other's inner turmoil, as well.

_I don't need to be consoled, though_, the sable-haired demon god mentally growled. _Not even by my own brother. _

Kizurei shook his head, sensing his brother's resentment of being pitied. It came naturally to arrogant and proud dog demons, he supposed. "Just wanted to see my evil big brother. I have a gala to attend in an hour."

"Gala?" Meimori finally sat up and observed the younger demon's regal appearance. _Damn, he definitely looks better than me right now._ Then again, he was wearing a white silk tunic and plain black pants.

True to his words, his little brother was dressed in black trousers and a silver embroidered sable doublet adorned with a matching silver medallion marking him as royalty from the Western Lands. An obsidian furred, hoodless cloak hung over his shoulders, attached on a silver chain at his collarbone.

All in all, he looked quite handsome, sophisticated, and most important of all, wealthy.

"What gala?"

"Sesshoumaru's ascension to the throne, of course! Geez, are you slow or what?" By the annoyed look he received, Kizurei deduced that his brother had been too busy moping to pay attention to his native kingdom's affairs. "Our cousin is back from the mortal realm and will initiate the ascension ceremony tonight. There's a ball celebrating his return."

"Was I not invited?" Meimori scoffed. He was a prince, too, dammit! How insulting!

The younger demon god shrugged nonchalantly. "Father assumed you wouldn't want to go. You're welcome to come if you wish."

"No thanks. I'd rather puke."

"No, you'd just rather lay around thinking about Kagura all day."

"Hey, what the hell is _that_ supposed to mean?!"

"You know damn well what it means!" Kizurei scolded harshly, and amazingly, his usually light-hearted lavender eyes bled crimson. He growled and controlled his rage, but rendered his brother confounded at his brief loss of temper.

Meimori blinked, stupefied. He didn't dare utter a word with the way his brother was now pacing around his room, settling his inherited temperament. _What in the... _Shock was an understatement of what he was currently feeling... It made him wonder just what position Kizurei claimed in the mess called his life.

Now that he thought about it... _Kizurei's life must be hard to live._ For instance, his—well, _their_—mother died when he was just a young pup; she sacrificed her life to save her mate, Seiryuu, during a 'mysterious' war. To this day, their father refused to converse about it. Then, many years down the road, the young demon's older brother lost his mind and betrayed their master.

Needless to say, their strife with Naraku ensued.

Where were Kizurei's loyalties supposed to lie? With the creator of his life, his father? Or with his twin brother, the one he was actually bonded to...? Seiryuu was crazed by avenging Kurayami's death—their uncle killed by InuTaishou. He desired to revive Kurayami back to his full potential, and it meant sacrificing the sons of his younger brother, Inuyasha and Sesshoumaru.

And on the other side there was Meimori...who was blinded by 'love' and acted foolishly by siding with Naraku after Rima was 'murdered' since they both desired the deaths of Sesshoumaru and Rin. But the two were his cousins—why would Kizurei want to kill his cousins? They never brawled or hurt each other...

If he sided with Seiryuu, then he would be condemning the souls of his cousins to an early death.

If he sided with Meimori, then he would be doing the same thing under the watchful eye of pure evil.

So...Meimori couldn't blame Kizurei for creating his own position in the situation, and instead of accepting neutrality as in their past lives, he was actively aiding his cousins. But he always wondered if his brother was ever frustrated with the stupid mistakes he had to watch others make, especially his twin...

Pointless fights, pointless arguments, pointless suffering...

_Wow...I can't believe I never thought about this before. My mind is definitely one-tracked._ Meimori shook his head and stood from his bed, taking the chance to stretch his cramped muscles before yawning. He was unable to remember the last time he sat down to think about a situation while playing devil's advocate.

"Mei..." The silver-eyed demon god glanced up when his nickname was called in a tortured tone of voice, and he furrowed his brows at the sight of his brother seeming an inch away from clawing his brain out. "Please...stop this nonsense. Don't do this to yourself!"

"Do what? You mean the Kagura thing?" He scoffed and smirked like the overbearing prince he was. "I'm almost over it. After I revive Rima I'll—"

**"NO!"** Kizurei shouted, powerless over his boiling rage, and his cheeks flushed from the anger he suppressed. His twin brother gulped and wished he hadn't climbed out of bed when the younger demon came close to strangling him. "I've never met someone more _idiotic_ in my entire life!"

"Hey, are you calling me—"

**"YES!** YOU'RE A BIG FAT **IDIOT!!!"** Kizurei truthfully never screamed at the top of his lungs since he was laid back and more reserved than his brother, but he didn't mind. All that registered in front of his feral lavender eyes was red...blood red... "Damn you to fucking hell, Mei! I love you and all, but gods! Open your fucking eyes! That bitch Rima never loved you! **NEVER!"**

"Not this shit again..." Meimori scowled and crossed his arms stubbornly. Everyone always made it a point to tell him how much of a bitch Rima was, but no one ever told him the good points about her! Geez! So much negativity in one's life was enough to kill! "Look, I don't need a lecture. I love her and—"

"Shut up! Just _shut_ up!" The younger demon's hand covered his face as he attempted in vain to quell his fury, and he sighed. After a few seconds ticked by, he finally unveiled his eyes, and to Meimori's surprise, they were glistening with tears. Tears! "How can you say you love her when you're ignorant of the things she did in your absence?"

"What are you talking about?" He wasn't about to believe just about anything that his brother uttered, twin or not. Sometimes it was better to trust one's own judgment of a predicament, even if it was wrong. Being with Rima at least made him happy, right?

"Where the hell should I start?!" His brother cackled, smiling sardonically. "Oh, I know! Like when she told me _in my face _that she was just manipulating _my_ brother in order to get back at Rin! Or when she ordered you to get a nazupede egg only to feed it to Rin and consequently kill _her_ family, _herself_, and the _heir_ to Makai—our unborn **nephew!** Or when she fucking _poisoned_ me, yes, **poisoned** me and put me in a fucking **coma** because she didn't want me to tell Sesshoumaru she _deliberately_ messed with Rin's contraceptive brew! Need I say more?!"

Who would go so far in order to ascertain a mere plan? Meimori couldn't believe...was he supposed to believe Rima would do those awful things? His brother wouldn't lie to him...and the tears slowly trailing down the demon's flushed cheeks—tears of frustration, hatred, and sorrow—were real.

B-But...but his love...she would...she would never...

He shook his head and sat back down on his large bed covered in midnight blue silk sheets. Not even his cool hand could assuage the fire flustering his forehead, coming from within in reeling mind. Heh, his hands couldn't aid to maintain his self-control when they were shaking, deprived of sanity.

_What should I do? Someone...please tell me what to do._ Adequate words to say to his obviously pained younger brother escaped his grasp, and Meimori growled deep in his chest. It wasn't the first time he was told Rima was a witch in disguise...but Kizurei never cried while notifying him.

He never screamed...he never showed his tears...he never lost his temper...

Therefore...his allegation was true. It was all true.

Because of Rima, Sesshoumaru and Rin lost something dear to them in their past lives. His silver-haired cousin, once he discovered the happenings while he was away tending to matters in his lands, lost his regal demeanor. He dragged him into a killing field, transformed into his natural dog demon form, and ripped him apart with his powerful jaws. And all this time...it was because Meimori had inadvertently killed Sesshoumaru's unborn pup.

Dammit...

Because of Rima, Rin conceived a child when she wasn't supposed to—it hadn't been her fault at all! She faced the pain of making a tough decision: choosing to abort the pup or allow her uncle-in-law to rid it from her womb forcibly. What kind of mother would be able to choose? And all this time...it wasn't even Rin's fault.

Dammit...

Because of Rima, Kizurei fell into a coma for weeks! The cause had been deciphered as a powerful poison only found in the Southern Lands, and so everyone assumed Naraku was the perpetrator. Hmph, coincidentally, Kizurei woke up right after Rin suffered a miscarriage. And all this time, the culprit laid safely in the background, watching from afar as Meimori agonized over his ill brother...pretending she was merely an innocent human...

**DAMMIT! **

"All I ask, Mei," Kizurei began in a low, monotonous voice, now having successfully achieved equilibrium of his emotions, "is that you open your eyes. If you still wish to revive Rima...then I won't stop you. Only keep this in mind: the more you are blinded by Rima, the more Naraku will use Kagura to hurt you."

With all said and done, Kizurei spared his confused brother a brief parting smile and disappeared from sight in an instant. Meimori stared at the spot the demon had stood in, pondering his last words. It seemed as though Kizurei knew more than he allowed others to perceive about Kagura's dealings with Naraku...

_Is Naraku just using Kagura to get under my skin? Make me insanely angry and wish for something I thought I had, but lost?_ The wheels were turning in his head, and as every moment past by, Meimori became increasingly furious.

He was so furious, his hands clenched into trembling fists yearning to pound into flesh as the veins in his eyes burst to infiltrate hungry crimson blood. _I'll kill him... _

However...why was the wind sorceress working with him..._willingly_, might he add? Why was she so...so _evil_ lately, why did she constantly desire to bathe her hands in blood, her alleged favorite color? Why would she betray him, for fuck's sake?!

Meimori couldn't find the answers, but he sure as hell yearned to rip out Naraku's heart through his throat, tear it into his gut, claw his skull open, and shove his brain in his deceiving little mouth. He was homicidal right now, ruthlessly homicidal...

He barely heard the door to his room creak open...his ears failed to register the sound of soft footsteps slowly walking towards him... It was only when a silhouette settled before his hazy eyes that Meimori focused on the present and willed his senses to discern between his blood-crazed fantasies and reality.

Yet...he didn't expect to see _her_ of all people in his bedroom at this time of night.

"Kanna?" The dark-haired demon, pushing aside his previous anger for the moment, tilted his head curiously. The young girl no older than ten gazed back at him with unblinking charcoal eyes, holding a round silver mirror in her pale white hands. "What's up? If you're looking for Kagura, I don't know where she is."

"I hold the answers you desire, Meimori," Kanna whispered in her normal, emotionless tone of voice, momentarily scaring her listener out of his wits. The mirror in her hands suddenly radiated a warm glow that had the demon god transfixed, however... "I can show you whatever you wish to see."

_This all seems too good to be true... _Meimori was skeptical of the young girl he hardly deemed a demon. "Why are you here? Who sent you?" _I hope this isn't a freakin' trap. She serves Naraku now a days and the bastard hates me. _

"Kagura told me to show you the answers of your questions if she was ever incapacitated because you saved my life."

Right, he brought her back from Nirria. He never assumed she would care, however; Kanna was indifferent about life altogether. And wow, she said more words in one sentence than she ever did the past year... Miracles _did_ happen! "Wait—incapacitated? Huh?"

"Yes...my sister Kagura has lost her heart and you must return it. But first, you need proof—you need to see the answers." The glow of her mirror only intensified, but Kanna remained expressionless and unperturbed. Meimori mused if the damn object was going to blind him...

"Stop speaking in riddles, whelp!" His head already hurt—there was no point in making him suffer any longer! He wasn't good at solving riddles, anyway. "I don't understand what you're telling me."

Could he trust the ten-year-old sister of his best friend when she was a faithful servant of Naraku's? Meimori was uncertain and substantially confused, to say the least.

"Your understanding isn't necessary. You must only see what Kagura wanted you to see..." And before he could object, the vibrant glow of Kanna's mirror completely engulfed Meimori. Afterwards, he fell back onto his bed, unconscious, while Kanna left the room as quietly as she had entered.

**

* * *

**

Gods, what was wrong with him? Why the hell did his...argh! It hurt so much! His fucking head was going to split open if the pain persisted!

Damn, and his present physical condition only served to make things worse. One thing he despised the most about travelling through dimensions was each world's different lunar cycles. He was constantly forced to update his knowledge on each dimension's moon patterns and prepare for the loss of his demonic energy. And guess what?

In his current location, it was the night of the fucking new moon! Hurray! He was currently human—mortal because he was freakin' half-immortal! Hmph, he wondered how in the world he had managed to survive prior to realizing he was only _half_ of what he thought he was...

So yeah...he was human right when he and his fiancée were stuck in a remote realm along with an obnoxious teenager to boot. Not very good, right?

No, not at all.

Inuyasha gritted his teeth as the pain settling into his cranium intensified, and he bit back a whimper, holding his aching head between his clammy hands. He was situated on a tree's tall branch, away from the camp Kagome set up with Yuka, the bitch-faced bane of his existence. Hopefully neither of them heard him nearly whining in agony...

_I can't take this anymore..._ He cried in his mind as he placed his forefingers on his temples and applied pressure, yet it failed to relieve his pain. _What the hell is wrong with me?! I was fine a few hours ago!_ His eyes felt like a pair of burning coal while his skin acted as a humid swamp, to put add to his stress.

It reminded him of the sickness he suffered in Portugal...but this time around, the urge to heave the contents of his stomach was absent. The hanyou-turned-human gasped as the core of his brain hatched knives that attacked every other part of his cerebrum, and his vision blurred for a total of five seconds.

Five seconds to him was an eternity!

_Something isn't right._ Inuyasha gulped back a pained shout and preferred to dig his short nails into the bark beside and underneath him, even though it was pretty much impossible. _But I think I'm having a..._ Suddenly, however, his reality slipped from him...and he felt light-headed.

The pain was still present, but he barely recognized it. It was as though he was descrying an area—an act involving an out-of-body experience in the borderline of reality and his consciousness. He blinked and noted the flurry of images rushing before his eyes, flickering between his normal view of leaves and distinct blurs arranged in a nonsensical juxtaposition.

_Huh...?_ His mind was numb; it was difficult to even _think_ coherently. Inuyasha swallowed after a long while of sitting immobile on the thick tree branch and concentrated on the distorted images hastily sweeping in and out of eyeshot.

And just as quickly as they had appeared, they conquered his vision completely and immersed him in their own stories... He couldn't clearly depict them...but he heard voices, familiar voices...and that was enough.

_"It's time to work your magic, my pet. Here—put this in my cousin's drink without his notice and let me do the rest." _

_"What is it? It's...slimy and disgusting looking! Ew!"_

_"Heh...it's called a nazupede egg, found in rainforests in my homeland." _

_"Oh...well, what's it gonna do? Kill Inu-bastard?"  
_

_"No. It will awaken him and my mission will be complete."_

_"Awaken him? No wonder you're related to Inu-bastard—you're both freaks." _

_"Don't overstep your boundaries, Yuka, or I'll kill you on the spot." _

_"I'd like to see you try, Meimori." _

Inuyasha gasped back into the present and panted heavily, attempting to control his erratic breathing as he swept his ebony bangs away from his violet eyes. His headache settled into a mere dull throb and his fever was no longer at its prime; who had known those were the side effects of a vision? Hmph!

Speaking of his vision...

_A nazupede egg?_ The hanyou-turned-human's line of sight was fixed on his shaking and sweaty palms, yet his eyes didn't process the actual creases and silhouette of his appendage. His mind was instead focused on the past...to when he was sick in Portugal, nearly gut-wrenchingly ill... _Fuck..._

He understood now. It was plain and simple—he had been fed a nazupede egg. Yes, it made perfect sense.

_Yuka_ fed him a nazupede egg.

The truth, however, did nothing to appease Inuyasha; it only served to distress him even further as he clenched his hands and barely refrained from screaming his rage. Dammit, because of that bitch, he suffered unmentionable pain! He fucking destroyed an entire _city_, killed _hundreds_ of people, almost _hurt_ Kagome, was nearly _abducted_ by Meimori—**dammit!**

She...how could she...Yuka really hated him, didn't she?

But it was no excuse! No one could be so cruel!

This wasn't about a random bitch slipping drugs into his drink—it was about Kagome's _best_ friend betraying _her_ trust in order to dispose of _her_ fiancé! The only reason why Yuka would band with Meimori, or why the dog demon would even choose the human teen as his faithful servant, was because her resolve was weakened by her loathing of a half-immortal who did **nothing** to her!

**NOTHING!!!**

Rage bubbled inside of Inuyasha, melding together with hatred to create a thick magma that constricted his throat and greedily wished to erupt. Yuka...she was lucky he was only human at the moment and couldn't summon the energy to decimate every single atom composing her body. Only scum could stoop so low...she could have _killed_ him...

...she could have inadvertently _killed_ Kagome!

He would never forgive her...she was no friend of Kagome's as long as she harbored such despicable notions of disposing of her fiancé... In his eyes, she was better off dead. Hmph..._dead_...no, death was a luxury for the bitch. She deserved a torture much more lasting...and more painful.

Angry thoughts only fueled his fury, so he tried to reign over them. He still wasn't feeling his best, and solely peace could wipe away his pain. Yet...then he remembered that Yuka was sleeping in a camp a few meters away from the tree he sat on, close enough to contaminate his air...to turn on him again...

Why was she here? How in the world did she _get_ here?

Inuyasha saw the answers as plain as day. Meimori helped her follow him and Kagome beyond the mortal realm, but because transportation devices ceased to work correctly, she was stuck in a random dimension. Coincidentally, it was the same one they were trapped in.

**ARGH!** Why the hell did she follow him around like a fucking insect?! He wanted to be left **ALONE!** He ignored her so she should freakin' ignore him, too! And as a side note, the only thing he ever did to her was be rude and crass when they first met—so what, she was one of those nagging old crones who despised cussing teenagers?!

She could shove it up her fucking fake cunt for all he cared! Hell, she _enjoyed_ shoving random things in there, especially Meimori's big fat—okay, he needed to calm down...

_I don't know what to do now_. Inuyasha sighed away the tension from his body and leaned against the tree branch, gazing up despondently at its other thick and leafy branches. His violet eyes swam with the burden of what was to come after the revelation he saw through his recent vision. _I can't tell Kagome...I don't want to hurt her._

It was obvious that Kagome cared for Yuka, despite the latter teen's many faults. The miko was forgiving; she allowed her best friend to join her little group of immortal friends and trusted her enough to behave in front of them. But there laid the problem: Yuka broke her trust.

_Furthermore_, Yuka used Kagome in order to...to...

Inuyasha bit his lip and suppressed the urge to whine like a depressed and hapless child. He should have seen the danger in allowing Yuka near him, _even_ if it had been for his fiancée's sake! He should have...he could have prevented it!

Had he told Kagome of all the things Yuka said to him, how she constantly made him feel less than what he was, how she always glared and sneered at him, she wouldn't have remained friends with her! She wouldn't have allowed the bitch to get near him!

_But...Yuka only hates _me_—not Kagome. Even though she's hurting me, she's only doing it for Kagome's sake. The wench will see that and love her all the more._ Either way, he lost. Hmph...challenging Yuka was the hugest mistake of his life...she proved to be the more clever and ruthless contender.

Then again...was Inuyasha supposed to keep quiet of how it was Yuka's fault he destroyed Kagome's home? If Rin didn't have the power to heal through her voice, Tokyo would still be in ruins and he wouldn't even _dream_ of showing his face to any of his friends, especially his fiancée.

All that pain, all that suffering...gods...it could've been prevented.

Besides, it was also Yuka's fault for planting the loathing he felt for Houjo in the depths of his soul. Even now the dark-haired human could hardly think about the wimpy bastard who 'cared' about Kagome... Hmph, he wouldn't have known about the fool if the bitch hadn't mentioned him during there instant messaging session on his first day of school.

_She's working with Meimori, too... She could be spying for him or something...and the asshole would do anything to get information on Sesshoumaru and Rin._ Inuyasha gritted his teeth twice in the same night and shut his eyes, hoping to block the painful thoughts from his mind's eye. It was futile. _What should I do? What would Kagome do?_

Heck, he was unable to predict her course of action.

If he hadn't arrived in Kagome's life, she and Yuka would still be happy. Therefore, he was just as much to blame. _Heh, this mess is one cause and effect after another._ Life was all about cause and effect, right? At least his was.

"Inuyasha?"

The violet-eyed human cursed under his breath and craned his neck to see Kagome standing directly below the branch he settled on. She was supposed to be asleep, for goodness sake! Why couldn't she ever leave him alone?! Well, for the most part, she was unable to sense his inward struggle, so...

"What'd ya want, wench?" Inuyasha responded once his voice decided to work, and he crossed his arms defensively. He didn't feel like talking to her, not when his mind was weighted by the deeds of her selfish best friend who threatened his very existence...

_What else is Yuka capable of doing with Meimori's aid?_ A chill travelled up his spine.

"Are you lonely?" Apparently, the miko ignored the fact that he was grumpy and in no mood to converse.

"No."

"Are you tired?"

"No."

"Do you want me to come up?"

"No."

"Okay, then."

Finally, Inuyasha was left in peace. _That was easier than I thought it would be..._ He blinked and shrugged. He wasn't going to argue with his luck.

But, just when he believed he was alone...nearly inaudible grunts and something scratching against tree bark reached his ears, as though someone was trying to climb a... Dammit—it was Kagome! He leaned over the tree branch in shock and watched the raven-haired teen ascend to his spot, though with extreme difficulty.

Heck...she only managed to climb two feet up the tree.

"You're fucking insane, wench! What the hell do you think you're doing?!" Inuyasha shouted, but made no move to help her. Hmph, he sat back and waited for her to fall on her ass. _That's what she gets for being so stubborn. _

"Since you're apparently blind, I'm climbing this tree." Kagome climbed another foot up, but heaved a breath when she saw she had far more to go. _This is why I should climb trees more often. _"It'd be nice if you helped..."

"I'm not nice—too bad."

"Right...you're a meanie."

Inuyasha stuck his tongue out at the miko. "And I'm damn proud of it!"

At long last, however, much to the hanyou-turned-human's disgruntlement, Kagome climbed all the way to his claimed tree branch and took a seat beside him. She swung her arms in circles to relieve the ache in her muscles, but then faced him with an inquisitive look.

Erase inquisitive—she was reading his mind!

"You don't look so good..." Kagome reached over to place her hand on her fiancé's forehead, ignoring his protests he shot at her. She soon retracted her appendage and gasped. "You have a fever and didn't say anything?!" Coupled with the fact that he was pale, Inuyasha was definitely sick!

"Keh! I only have a fever because I just had a vision." _Shit, I wasn't supposed to say that. _He visibly cringed, and it spiked the miko's curiosity.

"Was it about the Shikon no Tama? Kikyou will be happy if it was."

"No..."

"Hm...what a shame. Anyway, what was it about?"

He was a horrible liar; therefore, he wasn't going to lie outright. Heck, he wasn't going to say anything at all and hope she lost interest. Though, he was wishing for the impossible, he supposed, since his wonderful fiancée grabbed the sides of his face and pulled his gaze to her.

Kagome searched his face for a few seconds before her expression turned grim. "Did I die in your vision again?"

"W-What?!" Inuyasha spluttered, widening his eyes in shock. "When the hell did I ever say you died?!"

"Well, the last time you had a vision, you freaked out and hugged the life out of me. I assumed I died."

"Yeah, as if I'd freak out if you died." Hopefully his gruff tone of voice masked the fact that he would probably go insane if the wench died...especially if it were by his hands... A chill ran up his spine at the thought of her blood staining his hands as her corpse laid near his feet, her dull and unseeing chocolate eyes staring at—okay, why was he thinking about killing her again?

Well, either way, the miko decided to drop the tense subject since she didn't further interrogate her fiancé—much to his surprise—and merely yawned tiredly. It was only now that Inuyasha took the chance to wonder why she was awake in the middle of the night if she was so tired; the way her eyelids constantly drooped revealed as much. He smirked, however, at his own stupidity since he already knew the answer.

Kagome was worried about him.

No matter how much he desired for her to concentrate on herself, it was useless—the miko had the uncanny ability to depict his moods and hidden feelings without even looking at him! Hell, with or without the Bond of Mates, she was still able to perfectly discern if he was troubled or not! So, the violet-eyed human was led to believe his fiancée caught on as to why he chose to avoid her.

Hmph, more like avoid _Yuka_.

Inuyasha sighed and glanced at the pensive—and silent for once—teen sitting beside him; he couldn't help but smile when she began to swing her legs childishly in the air. With another exhale and a comforting statement to his ego, he leaned over and welcomed the miko onto his lap, enveloping his arms around her waist protectively. She sighed in bliss while his eye twitched...

...he was human for the night...he was bombarded by human emotions...he felt the sudden urge to hug her...

_So what!_ The half-immortal snorted in his mind, battling his lamenting pride. At this point in time, he was faced with a lot of hard decisions to make that ultimately deteriorated his sanity and perception of the world. _I can allow myself this one moment of weakness. Keh! It's either have the wench close to me or go drown myself in a creek._

Obviously he opted for the former—he didn't enjoy getting wet not unlike most dogs.

But, on a serious note, he did have many responsibilities awaiting him after this 'training session'. Inuyasha was to be king in a little under a month; he had to deal with a deceiving bitch who was collaborating with his deadly cousin; he was forced to find some kind of powerful jewel or endure the wrath of an uptight Kikyou... And, of course, he was possibly possessed by his long since dead uncle.

Add the fact that he _died_ once before and a concoction called stress was created.

Just by having his fiancée, his _mate_ close to him, however, just by knowing she was there for him no matter what he decided or what he said relieved his worries, at least slightly. Inuyasha leaned his cheek on her head and gazed at the moonless midnight blue sky shrouded by leaves; the night was silent, yet not foreshadowing. It was peaceful, serene...all was good.

Yuka was not presently an issue—it was only Inuyasha and Kagome.

And he couldn't deny that he goddamn loved it that way.

"She says she doesn't know how she ended up here."

A low, mumbling voice disrupted Inuyasha from his thoughts, and he scowled once he processed the words. Yet, his companion was unable to depict the change of his expression since her head laid against his chest, facing the hardly visible night sky that his violet eyes intently watched.

"Uh huh, and my ass is on fire." Nope, his ass was not burning a hole through the wooden tree branch; therefore, Yuka was indeed a lying bitch. "Well, what happened? She was walking down the yellow brick road and found out she wasn't in Tokyo anymore?"

"Geez, this is what happens when you actually do your literature homework," Kagome muttered in annoyance. She fleetingly wondered why her teacher tortured his students by forcing them to watch the Japanese animated film of the Wizard of Oz, an adaptation of the American classic. Heh, Inuyasha ridiculed it from day one.

He and Sesshoumaru were true film critics...

"Wench, think about this logically: you don't just end up in a remote dimension by accident." It wasn't a difficult concept to understand! If that were impossible, then two-thirds of the world's population would be missing all across the universe! Pure chaos would ensue and nuclear war would be imminent!

"Look, Yuka said she walking to the city through the forest and saw some kind of bright glow coming from ahead of her. She followed it to the point where it was blinding, and there was this big flash, and boom! Suddenly she's here with us." Truthfully, Kagome wasn't going to deny the possibility of such a thing occurring.

When she met Inuyasha, she followed the glow of his immortal energy and landed herself in front of a freakin' _god_. Who knew if another immortal travelled to the mortal realm, was bored by it, opened a portal to return home, and Yuka just so happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time?

But the hanyou-turned-human thought much differently, though didn't care to prove the _fact_ that Yuka was deceiving her best friend. In the end, it would only stress Kagome even more to the point of her turning away from him, and although it cost a huge price on his behalf, he was preventing a rift in their relationship again despite this dilemma.

Ack...when the hell did his life revolve around Kagome so much? Even when he first met her all he thought about was marrying her to appease his mother...

Inuyasha deflected the blows to his ego before they scarred him and cleared his throat. "Fine, believe what you want." He hated keeping the miko in the dark; should she become aware of his deliberate course of action, she'd never forgive him.

Gods, either way he lost in everything!

"What do _you_ believe happened, huh?" Kagome asked in turn, yet still refrained from lifting her head off his chest to look at his expression. She was too comfortable to move, and each seconding flitting by only allowed exhaustion to creep onto her body to the point of engulfing her in its comforting darkness.

Staying awake to talk with her fiancé while he was expressive was crucial, however! It only happened about once a month! Ugh...but she was _so_ tired...

The ebony-haired human resisted the urge to exclaim ten reasons why Yuka was lying, number one being that she was working with _Meimori_ of all people, and merely shrugged. He didn't care. Griping about this matter wasn't about to solve other pressing problems.

"We're in deep shit, wench, did you know that?" Inuyasha instead stated, his solemn voice resonating in Kagome's ears. "Because now Yuka at least knows there's some kind of higher power above mortal demons and humans in the universe. Humans are naturally curious creatures—it's dangerous to involve one of them in immortal affairs."

"If that happens, the next thing you know everyone in Japan will be at your doorstep bowing at your feet." Kagome chuckled at the image of Inuyasha with crossed arms scowling at a group of people praying to him for good fortune. He was a god, a demon god to be exact, but he wasn't an entity to be worshipped... "You can at least pose as a fallen angel since you have the wings for it."

Oh crap...she forgot about the little incident two days ago!

Now the former serene ambience surrounding the couple became tense and strained, and Kagome gulped, unable to summon the courage to face her fiancé after her little slip. It was a mistake, she swore it! Just that...these past few days...he acted as though it never happened!

Inuyasha walked around as though he wasn't in pain or he wasn't bothered by his mutilation or...or...

Tears pinpricked her eyes at the gruesome memory of his wounds, but she blinked them back. Granted, the images sweeping before her mind's eye were horrid and filled with blood, her hanyou's blood... They ranged from when he gasped and cried in agony...from when he clawed at the ground for mercy...from when she washed his back caked in blood and severed ligaments...

"Are they...are your wings ever going to grow back...?" Kagome whispered hesitantly, yet required at least a yes or no answer. She couldn't move on with her life knowing that her fiancé suffered internally at the loss of a part of himself, no matter how small it was.

Wings enabled him to soar in the sky, allowed him to jump as high as he wanted and remain suspended in the air for as long as he wished... They granted his freedom and helped him defy gravity countless of times. To lose them for eternity was to lose his free spirit, his reckless nature—perhaps not to a greatly noticeable degree, but enough to spike the miko's concern.

For a long time, the half-immortal didn't speak. Kagome at once knew she hit a nerve and hoped beyond belief that her current presumptions were incorrect...that....that...

"In all actuality," Inuyasha finally spoke, though his voice was somewhat hoarse and forced, "wings aren't an immortal trait—it's just my royal family's trait. It's something we're born with that marks us as sovereigns in a dimension where most people have the potential to become rulers."

From his words, Kagome proved her theory that her fiancé truly lost an important part of himself, a part he probably took for granted most times. What hurt the most, she supposed, was the underlying doubt in both of their questions: would his golden wings grow back? She didn't know...and Inuyasha knew even less.

"They'll grow back," the miko sighed, snuggling closer to her fiancé's warmth. "I know they will—just be patient. Well, in the meantime, are you ever going to tell me where we are?"

"..."

"Come on, it can't be that bad!"

Inuyasha sighed. "We're in the immortal realm."

"Really?!" Kagome pulled away from his embrace to stare into his face in complete shock. But he was serious! "I thought we were stranded in—"

"We _are_ stranded in a remote area, a rainforest to be exact." Of course, she never realized they were stuck in a _very_ perilous rainforest...one that all immortals made sure to evade at any cost. Heh, he wasn't about to explain their dangerous situation in such great detail. "It's difficult for me to transport us out of here—it's damn near impossible for a demon god who's not rank ten."

Keh, and Inuyasha still had two more ranks to ascend before he was a complete demon god with ultimate power... _Dammit all. If I had the strength of a complete demon god, I wouldn't be stuck in a fucking rainforest, now would I? _Nope, and what bothered him was that neither Sesshou-bastard nor Kouga the Wolf Shit would have any difficulty.

How the hell did everyone become more powerful than him?! Even Ayame was currently stronger!

Kagome blinked, but nodded in understanding. Basically, they were definitely trapped in a remote area with no way of teleporting out. Ah, and she almost forgot that Yuka increased their group from two to three… She would take up shelter space and food. "Oh... So, how are we going to get back to where Kikyou and the others are?"

Err...Inuyasha never actually thought about it...

"I have no idea, wench."

**

* * *

**

Matters in the Western Lands were worse than he had initially assumed. It was no wonder that his uncle resorted to personally seeing his detested nephew rising to take what was rightfully his: the king's throne. Heh, an amused smirk grew on his face carved from ice, indifferent to the trials waiting to prey on him in a few hours. Despite all the chaos that erupted while he was gone, his uncle's resentment of his future kingship pleased him.

Of course, he loved being in control and in command. It made life interesting.

His golden honey eyes, betraying any and all emotion, flickered over the somber faces of his companions, who each sat in a gilded chair situated in his palace's grand court room. Miroku and Sango, envoys from the Eastern Lands, talked quietly amongst themselves to his immediate right, while Kizurei and Ayame were taciturn to his left.

He then shifted his gaze to the recently crowned Kouga, who paced furiously in front of the oval ebony wooden table in the center of the lavish room. The restless wolf was unappeasable—even his wife failed to control his raging temper. But no one could blame him since he was bearing a great burden upon his shoulders, one presented to him by Naraku.

Hmph, or rather Kagura.

Sesshoumaru shifted slightly on his seat at the head of the oval table and regarded his older cousin with a nod of his head. Upon noticing his cryptic signal, the dark-haired demon dressed in expensive silk cleared his throat and pushed a tightly rolled parchment towards him. The future Lord of the Western Lands read the contents of the letter and smiled.

"It's true then," he began in his smooth, baritone voice that raised the hairs on the necks of his companions. "Naraku declared war on the Western-Eastern Empire. How foolish..."

"He commands a vast army of demon puppets, however," Sango interrupted, but took the chance to glare at her 'boyfriend' once his arm crept a little too close to her chair for comfort. It didn't help that she was wearing a deep magenta dress that clung to her upper body, outlined her bust, and flared at her hips.

She was a temptress, or so Miroku justified his inability to withhold his urges... "Reports from soldiers all hold one unanimous fact: these puppets are practically indestructible. They regenerate quickly, morph their limbs into dimension blades, and can kill even the strongest immortals in a second flat."

"What is the current death toll in Makai and Seijou?" Sesshoumaru asked, yet he was no where near apprehensive or sweating. Hell, he was still smiling rather cruelly, delighted in the challenge presented to him.

"Makai's casualties are two-thousand and thirty-three while Seijou's is eleven-hundred and four." Miroku at last became serious and ceased to try to cope a feel of Sango's backside, bare to his caress due to her halter-top dress. It didn't stop his midnight blue eyes from wandering over her cleavage, though... "The total is three-thousand, three hundred and thirty-four."

Too many numbers...

"For the Northern Lands, the toll is ten-thousand and eight," Ayame said once Sesshoumaru glanced at her in question, and she sighed when Kouga uttered a vehement curse. "An entire village was obliterated by an army led by Kagura. There were no survivors."

It saddened her... It truly, truly saddened her that her own people were mercilessly killed by a wind witch. They had no means of defending themselves against indestructible demon puppets equipped with dimension blades...no means of surviving such a brutal battle. Blood still stained the barren soil remaining from the slaughter.

But war was cruel—its aftermath was always destruction.

"I want that bitch dead," Kouga growled in the midst of his lengthy pace from across the room. "I'm not resting until I fucking bleed her veins dry!"

"I told you this before, King Kouga," Kizurei intervened before the wolf demon actually bounded out of the room and hunted the wind sorceress. "Kagura is not in her right mind; Naraku is using her as though she was his puppet. Trust me, she loves bloodshed but she'd never attack innocent—"

"And like I said before, I don't fucking care!" The frustrated roar silenced any protests coming from the dog demon, and Kouga placed a hand over his eyes prior to taking a deep breath. A true king didn't lose his temper so easily, or so he tried to console himself. "Conscious nor not, she killed ten-thousand of both my soldiers and people. For the sake of all those in Enma, I cannot allow her to roam unpunished."

Kizurei sighed._ This is what happens when my brother doesn't realize he's an idiot._ "I understand perfectly, your Highness. But she has not merited death for only being controlled by a bastard we all want dead."

"Then why don't you preach to all those who lost loved ones during Kagura's raid, hm?" Ayame faced the demon beside her with grave emerald eyes. She was speaking like a queen concerned for her subjects; their appeasement came first in her mind. "Try telling them that their King and Queen are sparing the murderer of ten-thousand fellow youkai merely because 'she wasn't in her right mind'."

"But you can't just have her executed!" Meimori might go insane!

"If she's not dead by the end of this war, then I'll kill her myself. And that's a fucking promise." The matter was declared closed by Kouga after he spoke vehemently, but Kizurei was overwrought by apprehension. He dropped the subject, however, and turned towards his cousin.

"Where's Rin?" Surely he assumed the dog demon would bring his fiancée to the immortal realm along with him, yet the lively eighteen-year-old was nowhere in sight. "I hope you didn't forget you need a wife during these times of war."

It was the golden rule of kings—get married, bear an heir, fight in a war, and leave behind an able ruler to control affairs in the domain. Or...just fight alongside his queen. Then everyone would be happy, correct? At least that was how Kizurei saw it.

Sesshoumaru remained quiet, though, and refrained from responding. His gleaming honey eyes gazed at the wall decorated with an intricate mural across of him, and his lips once again curved into a wicked smile. The others in the room couldn't fathom what he was thinking, or what he had done with his fiancée... Perhaps he finally went berserk and murdered her?

No, Rin was the psychotic one in the relationship.

So then...what happened?

"She'll be here shortly," the future king of Makai at last said with great confidence, his smile still intact. Sesshoumaru moved to stand from the table and walked towards a floor-to-ceiling window nearby. "Rin and I shall be married by midnight. Everything is already prepared." And afterwards, he was going to initiate the ascension ceremony and become a king.

All was good...

Miroku and Sango—heck, even Kouga and Ayame—shared a knowing look. They now understood what the demon god had done in order to ensure a wife...a capable, strong-willed wife...

"When Rin finds out, she's going to be pissed..." Sango whispered to the dark-haired human next to her, and he nodded, his expression grim. "Well, I'll arrange the funeral."

Kizurei looked up at the ceiling and wondered why he was part of a family of idiots. Could the gods please send him a sign letting him know he was perfectly sane? Alas, the sign never came. _My brother is a big fat idiot and my cousin is a suicidal moron. All I need now is for Inuyasha to duel Yuka in a battle of Pokémon._ Mortals and their strange cartoons...

Why would he, an immortal, know about Pokémon? It was a question Meimori had once tried to answer, but grew impatient and chose to abduct his hanyou cousin instead. Normal enough.

Either way, the fate of the universe was in the hands of a moron, who was about to be killed by his fiancée, and his kidnapped brother, whom Yuka probably made voodoo dolls of.

Yup, they were all doomed.

* * *

**A/N: END! WEEEE!!!! I got a crown for my root canal on Saturday and it kinda bothers me... Geez, I still have to go get a final one in three weeks! More shorts in my gums! GRR!**

Next chapter:** Inu, Kags, and Yuka commence a very long journey back home... We find out how and why Yuka was able to travel to the immortal realm... Sessh and Rin face some issues when she finally arrives... **

**Sooo...what will happen when Rin finally comes equipped with the Skillet of Doom? Are Sessh and Rin really getting married (at long last)? What is Yuka's motive for going after Inu? Will Kags ever know the truth about her? Where is my dog? What is Meimori planning now that he was englightened? Is Kanna a goddess? Will Kouga really kill Kagura? When are Jaken and Myouga going to die? **

**Dunno. Jaken's already dead by my standards...I killed him last night. *evil smile***

**MAKE ME HAPPY AND REVIEW! :-D**


	40. Calm Before the Storm

****

A/N: 'ELLO! I'm not gonna rant a lot because I have to eat two hot dogs, drink pomegranate juice, and study for an AP Chem test! :-D Damn, when is this story going to end? LOL! Me don't know!

ATTENTION!** Sesshoumaru and Rin are in a different time zone than Inuyasha and Kagome and Yuka. This is due to the fact that the rainforest in the immortal realm is considered its own little dimension. Just so that you won't be confused! **

**ENJOY THE CHAPPIE! **

* * *

**Oh My Gods! 40**

* * *

Boring.

The gala was boring.

Boring. Boring. Boring.

One more time: _boring_.

He could say it a thousand times and it still undermined how much he was truly suffering from ennui. It wasn't difficult for something to cause him to lose interest quickly, but gods, this was extreme! Never before had he realized to what extent he detested social gatherings until tonight. Yup. The Prince of Makai was clearly unsatisfied.

So, no one bothered to stop him from leaving the large, overly lavished ballroom in his grand palace. His intimidating strides brought him to a private, solitary room situated behind the center of merriment and dancing that was the bane of his existence. Good, only silence accompanied him. Sweet, amiable, uncomplicated silence welcomed him with open arms.

A smile touched his lips, melted his expression of pure ice.

Soon enough, however, his fiancée's guaranteed arrival would disperse the silence.

Heh...he was ready to face her furious tirade—he _did_ purposely leave her in the mortal realm by stating he was going to use the restroom..._sure_. Well, it wasn't his fault she was as oblivious and gullible as she was psychotic and murderous! But he accepted her faults, though only because she accepted his own.

He accepted her merely because she exerted the strength and willpower to stand by his side, claimed him as her own, and still smiled brighter than the sun, rendering him breathless and speechless. Of course, she beamed as if it wasn't the greatest feat in history.

Sesshoumaru leaned his back against an intricately painted wall a shade lighter than his eyes, and he sighed, glancing up at the ceiling where another mural met his eyes. The murals in his palace depicted important times in the history of his family—his ancestors. At the moment, he was gazing at one of his great-grandfathers transformed into his original canine form.

The beast was enormous and occupied more than half of the ceiling, which possessed a diameter of at least twenty-feet. His cerulean blue pupils were encompassed by feral crimson red as a long, jagged hunter green stripe adorned each corner of his powerful jaws. His great-grandfather was a venerated ruler of the Western Lands, and InuTaishou was the sole demon god to be his predecessor in fame.

In a few hours, Sesshoumaru would also be put to the ultimate test; he would _also_ become Lord of the Western Lands.

Yet, he was prepared to meet the challenges awaiting him: Naraku's demand of war, the increasing death toll in his kingdom and neighboring lands, and his rampant older cousin. There was no fear or doubt clouding his mind since Sesshoumaru was certain of his power and ability to exorcise control over his people. He was a born leader, and to fear his birthright like a certain brother of his was foolish as well as inane.

Then again, Inuyasha was just a half-breed whelp, a rank eight demon god.

He wasn't ready to attain his respective throne...at least not yet.

_She's late._ Sesshoumaru's eyelids briefly closed as he pondered the whereabouts of his fiancée. Surely she should have already arrived in the immortal realm; he was confident of this. _Rin is a force to be reckoned with. She will stop at nothing to ascertain my safety, even if it means fighting by my side._

That was why he left the mortal realm without her. Heck, he wasn't stupid! As if he could _really_ leave the pesky human behind and forget about her when they were bonded in every single way except carnally!

And like _hell_ she was ever going to allow another bastard to roam her curves where he hadn't dared to touch... Just thinking about the imaginary offending male set his possessive instincts haywire.

So, the insensitive dog demon deceived his fiancée and left without her notice. If he knew her well enough, she probably ranted and cried and screamed once she discovered his cryptic departure... But he merely smirked in response. Yup, he hardly cared.

Yet, the cinnamon-eyed mortal wouldn't have given up so facilely...she wasn't as weak as others; her relentless determination was what aided her ambition in academics. Therefore, Sesshoumaru was certain Jaken and Myouga allowed Rin to tag along with them on their way home...

...but then, where were they?

_My kingdom is at war; Naraku isn't an honorable opponent like others were led to believe. _Sesshoumaru narrowed his golden honey eyes at the opposite wall, suppressing the urge to growl in annoyance. People should value honor during war rather than increase their enemy's casualties! What a nuisance! _I'll enjoy coating my claws in his blood_.

Alas, patience was a virtue. He first needed to arise to the title of a king...

Hmph, he could hardly wait for his ascension ceremony, and Sesshoumaru was about to ponder later events, but hurried footsteps approaching the room he ensconced himself in soon reached his sensitive ear drums. With his back still leaned comfortably against the wall, the demon god immediately descried the hallway close by in search of the intruder.

It only took a second to discover that his fiancée was _definitely_ late.

**SLAM!**

Wow...he might have descried the area prior to her hasty arrival, but nothing could have prepared his eyes to what they were currently witnessing...

"S-Sesshoumaru!" Rin was breathless; that much her fiancé discerned by her rapidly heaving chest and flushed cheeks. However...

...she was also injured.

Blood, both hers and from a foreign source, marred her faded jeans and bright yellow T-shirt while gushing wounds covered her arms and legs. A thin, shallow cut sat on her right cheek, as though it was placed there by a sharp object, a knife or blade... Her thick locks of obsidian hair, which had been tied neatly behind her head in a high pony tail the last time he saw her, was flurrying at her waist unbound and untamed.

All in all, the human teen was a sore sight, yet Sesshoumaru couldn't help feeling the urge to take her in his arms and render her lips as red as the blood caked on her skin.

For the millionth time that night, he arrogantly smirked. Indeed, his mate was injured and all he could muster was a _smirk_ induced by lecherous thoughts.

Her cinnamon eyes analyzed the change in his expression from solemn to amused, and Rin treaded deeper into the room, radiating annoyance despite her conspicuous limp. Hmph, her fiancé had the _audacity_ to widen his smirk! **"GRR!!!** I'm gonna **kill** you! You're laughing at me!"

In his own way, he truly_ was_ laughing...

What an asshole! _If it was in his nature, he'd be guffawing on the floor!_ Hm, guffawing was a new word in her vocabulary and it was the total opposite of Sesshoumaru.

Rin came within strangling distance of the dog demon, and he only shrugged, not fearing his impending assassination. "Hn, it seems like you need a new wardrobe. Blood red is an unsightly color for a wedding, my _dearest_."

"GAH! Don't mock me!" She swung her arms above her head in an exasperated motion, but winced once the gashes on her appendages protested her impulsive action. Her teeth chewed on her bottom lip when a tendril of pain shot up her arms and spine, but she noticed her fiancé's lingering gaze on her mouth, so she instantly stopped. "Can't you at least _act_ like you care and ask me why I'm covered in blood?"

And she didn't really tolerate pain well, either!

"Fine. Why are you covered in blood, my dearest? Because, of course, I _care_."

"Grr...stop calling me 'dearest'!" Sarcasm wasn't what Rin needed right now when she could barely stand on her own two feet and a certain demon god was entertained by it. Recalling recent events, however, eradicated the barrier of her emotions and she bellowed, "A FREAKIN' ARMY OF DEMON PUPPETS _**ATTACKED**_ ME!!!"

"You didn't have to scream, my dearest..." Sesshoumaru shook his head to shake off the ringing in his ears, but then mulled over the teen's furious words after meeting her glare. Meanwhile, she stared up at him with hell brimming in her eyes, waiting for the moment to slit his throat with her puny human nails.

Gods, such a torment was unmentionable... "What's this about demon puppets?" Finally, his demeanor froze into calm, somber ice as he digested the information made known to him. _Certainly Naraku couldn't be so despicable as to attack me in my own home?_ Bastard!

"There are about a _hundred_ demon puppets as tall as you are standing outside your palace's gates," Rin said in a steady voice, but her adrenaline rush soon vanished and she fell against her fiancé for support. He wasted no time in lifting her in his arms and settling her in a nearby chair; all the while, his expression was its normal cold and calculating.

The dog demon then placed his right hand over her skin and concentrated on speeding her healing rate. His fiancée watched in awe as she was encased in a thin sheet of blue light, as though she was undergoing a metamorphosis into an alien. _Cool..._

Gradually, her wounds started to heal and close; Rin reveled in the warmth sheathing her aching muscles and was now able to focus on narrating her tale while Sesshoumaru diligently sealed her injuries. "Your guards are fighting them, but sadly we're losing, even with Kizurei already there. I came here as fast as I could to warn you about a possible takeover."

"If they wish to takeover my palace, those vermin might as well demand that I roll over," the silver-haired dog demon growled, still incredulous that someone, a ruler to boot, would stoop so low as to disregard the art of war and try to seize his palace. And no, he wasn't rolling over. "Where are Jaken and Myouga?"

"Ha! When we arrived outside the palace grounds, Myouga took one look at the demon puppets and fled. Jaken is still trying to help the guards using his weird-looking staff, but it's futile." Heh, her misery was all due to a barrier guarding the palace from intruders who might transport themselves inside in order to attack the residents.

So she had been stuck outside with a hundred demon puppets attempting to slice her head off.

Yup, fun.

A few minutes later, Rin was all healed, and she marveled at her sealed wounds, quirking an eyebrow at her fiancé in question. He met her stare and simply stated, "My energy sped your rate of healing. It's nothing like your healing abilities, however." She nodded.

"It was terrible, Sesshoumaru!" The obsidian-haired teen abruptly gasped, standing from her seat to fist her hands in the dog demon's pristine white silk shirt. He had removed his matching platinum-trimmed doublet earlier and wished he hadn't. "T-Those things...they moved so fast! Oh gods... Do you know what they did?"

"What?" Somehow, he knew it wasn't something important.

Rin's eyes widened in terror as her mind replayed the event before her horrified gaze. With dilated pupils and parted lips, she replied in a tremulous whisper, "The demon puppets ate _it_."

"...?" What was this 'it'? Her pony tail holder? She whispered it as though it was a secret and feared that a secret organization of cult members would kidnap her if she spoke beyond a mumbling voice.

Yet, at long last she reiterated... "They...they ate my Skillet of Doom! THEY _**ATE**_ IT!"

"You actually brought _that_ thing here?" Shouldn't she have focused on bringing along a _useful_ weapon, like her Kimera for instance, instead of a skillet? Then again, when it involved Rin, a skillet was as good as any bladed weapon.

"I was going to beat you up with it! But it's gone—absorbed into the depths of demon puppet goo!" The eighteen-year-old choked back a sob and wrapped her arms around herself, slowly rocking on the heels of her feet. She shook her head from side to side like an insane old woman sitting on her rocking chair after seeing the Boogeyman...

...but that made no sense in Sesshoumaru's eyes.

Ah, he hated all movies whatsoever.

"Rin, listen closely," Sesshoumaru began in a low voice, moving to grasp the shaking girl's shoulders. He forced her to look at him before continuing. "The Skillet of Doom was too dangerous for you. It was cursed and possibly possessed by an evil spirit."

"NO! It was my best friend! It promised me it'd teach you a lesson you'd never forget—I'll **NEVER** let you go to the bathroom by yourself **AGAIN!"**

Heheh, his mistake. "I won't bother to apologize since you won't listen to reason."

"Like hell I will! Do you know what I suffered because of you?! HA! You're marrying me whether you like it or not! TOUGH LUCK! Now go find a priest guy or whatever makes marriages legal here!" She didn't care about those demon puppets that crawled out of Naraku's ass! They could be witnesses to her forced wedding!

There was no need to rave like a mad woman, but Rin ignored the memo, apparently. "I'm not denying your proposal any longer—calm down." Sesshoumaru wasn't about to admit how he deliberately planned this situation and already ensured their wedding. Adding to Rin's list of stressors meant unnecessary pain for him. "I _will_ marry you. But you're not marrying me wearing a bloody shirt and torn jeans."

"Oh. Okay, I guess." How simple... Rin felt like she was just conned into something. _If he can provide clothes for me to wear, then I don't care. _

She shrugged it off and beamed at her fiancé, finally dispersing her anger and allowing joy to consume her. The next thing Sesshoumaru knew, a certain human mortal glomped him, and he stared down at the obsidian head attempting to burrow into his chest.

But it was okay; her antics no longer bothered him. Hmph, she was about to become his wife after all. Too bad their wedding night had to wait since he needed to ascend to his throne and obliterate the demon puppets attempting to destroy his palace. Ha, with Rin by his side, no one would dare to wrong Sesshoumaru again.

_Hopefully._

Before the couple could gather their senses and actually _leave_ to prepare for their pending wedding...

**SLAM!**

"Cousin!"

...the door to the room slammed opened, revealing a greatly disheveled Kizurei.

Sesshoumaru furrowed his eyebrows at the bloody state his cousin was in; his left arm dangled uselessly against his side, perhaps dislocated, while blood oozed into his eye sockets from a deep gash on his forehead. Kizurei gasped and panted, clearly unable to settle his breathing, but weakly stopped Rin from coming forward to heal him.

"Don't be an idiot! You're really hurt!" The young woman protested, yet when she noticed that her fiancé and the injured demon god were sharing an intense stare, she gulped and backed away.

_Something bad is happening... _And with those demon puppets wandering about... _Please tell me their side isn't winning the battle._ What would become of Makai should such a calamity befall its ruler's home?

"Cousin." Kizurei had to pause to cough erratically, and he fell onto his knees with the ferocity of his coughing spasm. He desired no aid, however, albeit the blood dribbling down his chin. It was only now that the other occupants of the room noticed a dark stain rapidly increasing in radius on the torn clothing covering his torso. "There's no time to waste—if you plan on marrying Rin, you _must_ do it now!"

Once more he coughed to rid the blood clogging his airways, and Rin bit her lip, frowning in deep concern. She didn't know why Sesshoumaru wasn't making a move to help his cousin despite his wishes—Kizurei was obviously dying! Her heart clenched at the thought, and the urge to heal him swept over her, drowning her to the point where she could barely think coherently.

Why the hell was no one assisting him?!

A firm grip on her shoulder revived Rin from her trance and she glanced up at her fiancé, whose icy yet irrefutably angry honey eyes stared down at her in warning. He knew she was dying to bolt over and help Kizurei no matter what he said, and he was actually _stopping_ her?! Fury rekindled in her heart, but it died once the silver-haired dog demon explained himself.

"This isn't Kizurei, Rin," Sesshoumaru said in his normal intimidating voice, smooth and baritone. His older cousin by a year merely chuckled from across the room. "It's an illusion—a spell he casted on the battlefield."

"W-What...?" Her eyelids fluttered in rapid blinks as she tried to process the new tidbit of information. "So, you're saying Kizurei is talking to us from outside and this is like a hologram thing?" He merely inclined his head even though he didn't know what a hologram was. "And I can't help him if he's not physically in front of me, right?" Another nod. "Oh no..."

Kizurei was gravely wounded—he was literally bleeding from every pore of his skin! He looked _worse_ than she had earlier... The pain he was in had to be _unbearable_... Rin bit her lip again, a gesture of frustration and/or worry, refraining from voicing her immense disappointment. It wasn't like she could run out to the battlefield and start singing with hundreds of demon puppets itching to slice her head off, anyway.

But then....their dimension blades would...kill...immortals...oh gods...

"I am fine, my princess," the dark-haired dog demon soothed the teen's worry with a blood-rimmed smirk, "though your concern flatters me. Thank you." His lavender eyes grew somber when he locked eyes with his younger cousin. "The odds are against us—it is true what Sango said about those damn puppets killing skilled immortals in seconds."

Sesshoumaru briefly shut his eyes, yet appeared calm and collected on the outside, as though he was merely thinking of a course of action. Inwardly, however, a savage storm was brewing, thinning his patience and indifference each increasing moment. _How dare Naraku play this dirty! A true king takes an oath to obey the postulates of war upon coronation._

Who in the world would be stupid enough to break an important vow? This didn't deal with cheating on a wife after vowing to love her—it was war! Naraku was needlessly wasting lives and demon puppets for a fatuous cause! If he wanted a fight, then he would achieved it, but not a _damn_ second before Sesshoumaru married Rin!

The bastard deserved to die—there was no doubt about it. Now the dog demon had a true, personal reason to wish for Naraku's death: he insulted him. Yes, the asshole insulted him by testing the strength of his stronghold, his palace, and attacking him out of random. Heh, he was attempting to prove that _he_ was the better contender in this petty war.

Not in seven billion years, goddammit! Sesshoumaru hadn't even _begun_ to retaliate!

"We can't just leave you guys to keep fighting in vain!" Rin interrupted the conversation between cousins, glancing from demon god to demon god. Kizurei finally summoned the strength to stand on his two feet, and he did so without falling over; he was quite proud of himself. "Sesshoumaru and I can join in and—"

"No! Go do what you came here for and get married for goodness sake! Stop wasting time!" Rin instantly recoiled and chose to hide behind her fiancé where it was hopefully safe for the remainder of the battle talk. Kizurei sighed and shook his head. "Look, the guards and I are biding time for you two. Cousin, I implore that you initiate the ascension ceremony as soon as you are wedded."

"Agreed."

"And one more thing," Kizurei said as his illusion spell began to disintegrate, causing Rin peek around her hiding spot and ogle the fading silhouette in childish wonder. "The calm before the storm has made its entrance. Please be prompt—I speak for all of the guards when I say we could use the elite army's help."

Sesshoumaru smirked. "I will deal with the storm myself. Stay alive, Kizurei, or I might just wring Meimori's neck when he bawls over your corpse."

A light chuckle resonated throughout the room before the illusion completely faded, and Rin sighed in dismay. _I hope you survive, Kizurei. Meimori is a jerk, but he doesn't deserve the pain of losing his only twin brother._ No one deserved such a cruel torment despite horrid past deeds.

"Come. It's time for the moment we've been waiting for." Sesshoumaru grabbed the obsidian-haired teen's left hand prior to practically hauling her out of the room and striding down a long corridor. Rin attempted to break out of his iron grip since she was tripping on her own feet, but it was futile. "Stop fumbling and walk properly."

"Fumbling?! I'm sorry I'm being dragged around by you, Mister Smarty Pants!" She huffed, though her little statement was ignored. _I think all dog demons are jerks at some point in their lives. _It was a disheartening fact. "Am I not getting changed?"

"We can't waste time. I suppose I'll just have to bear your stench," Sesshoumaru replied impassively, keeping his gaze trained on the path in front of him. He abruptly turned right, causing Rin to nearly slam against the opposite wall. _I should kill him..._ She'd at least beat the crap out of him after the demon puppets were turned into dust...

"Hey, what does the calm before the storm mean?" Rin couldn't help that her mind wandered to Kizurei's parting words; though, it sounded like some sort of secret code between cousins. Especially with the way her fiancé had answered, she desired to know what was going on in the battlefield. "If you ignore me _one_ more time, Maebashi Sesshoumaru, I _swear_ I'll—"

"Hush." The silver-haired dog demon arrived at a pair of metal doors leading to unknown territory—at least in the teen's eyes—and he halted his hasty stride before placing his free hand on its silver handle. But prior to pushing open one of the doors, Sesshoumaru slightly turned his head to glance at her with one gleaming honey eye.

Rin gulped. He looked somewhat murderous..._scary_...yet also delighted at a new challenge. But _what_ challenge?

"Sessh?" They stood in silence for a long while and she was starting to wonder if he was going to stare at her so frighteningly for the rest of her life. Heh, and he had said they shouldn't waste time!

But at long last, Sesshoumaru whispered in his deep, rich voice, "The calm before the storm is the wind. And _Kagura_ is the wind."

**

* * *

**

"GODS! If I see **one** more mosquito the size of my fist, I will **SCREAM!"**

"Technically speaking, you're _already_ screaming."

"Don't get smart with me, missy! Hmph! **EEEK!!!** IT'S A GARGANTUAN FLY! **RUUUN!!!"**

"Yuka! Come back! It won't hurt you! And while you're at it, practice _shutting _**UP!"**

"Fine, fine! Geez, why the heck do we have to walk to wherever we're going?"

"Because there's no other method to travel by."

"Can't your Inu-freak fly? Or teleport us out of here like his brother did that one time...?"

"What are you talking about? You saw—"

"No! Nothing! Just keep walking, Kagome!"

"Hey! Answer me! Did you already know about—?"

"—about what?"

"Stop playing innocent."

"What are you implying? That I'm a liar?"

Kagome prayed for patience with her alleged best friend. But sometimes, she just couldn't tolerate the slightly older teen—she was too annoying! The miko wasn't even going to _begin_ recounting all the times Yuka had lied in her life; it was self-explanatory that if she did it once, she could do it again. Heh, and acting as though she was the victim wouldn't aid her reputation in her friend's eyes.

Yet, the raven-haired teen dropped the subject altogether, although she knew something was amiss with her edgy friend. She had basically said she witnessed Sesshoumaru using his immortal powers to transport himself to a certain destination—when did that happen? Had the dog demon noticed?

Yuka now knew all about immortals and the immortal realm; it was less disastrous if Kagome, with her fiancé's permission, told her beforehand about all the strange, inhuman concepts she might encounter. However, the oblivious teen shouldn't have known about immortals prior to her mini lesson last night.

Adding the fact that Yuka seemed a little bit _too_ anxious a few minutes ago and was quick to deny the statement she definitely uttered, Kagome was led to believe she was being deceived...

Either way, the miko sighed and shook her head, focusing instead on the long journey ahead of her. It was early in the morning, only about an hour after sunrise, and her group of three was 'avidly' trudging through harsh terrain in an unforgiving rainforest—yeah, as though Yuka was eager to walk miles and miles in mud. Inuyasha walked a few meters ahead, clearing their path free of tangling vines or predatory animals.

He hadn't said one word all morning, however.

After the sun rose and his hanyou powers returned, he quickly awakened the two teens and commenced their journey out of the rainforest...on foot. Kagome could deal with the nature walk; she was a city girl, but she still appreciated the outdoors. Still, she would be more at ease if her fiancé at least _glanced_ at her!

_It's because of Yuka_, the teen mentally amended, heaving another sigh. _He won't come near me as long as she's here._ Truthfully, Kagome wished her friend could be suddenly swallowed by a giant pit of quick sand. Afterwards, Inuyasha might just spare her a gracious smile.

Well, she couldn't just leave Yuka to fend for herself in the immortal realm, as much as a certain hanyou loved the idea, and so she ignored her own dark wishes in favor of doing a good deed. Yes, it was at the cost of her fiancé's happiness and comfort—she acknowledged as much.

But what else was she to do in a rainforest? Watch Yuka transform into a super strong Amazon woman and wait for her to fall in love with a tall, good looking tree? If that happened, then there would be no more Yuka for the rest of her life...

_Hm...it's not so bad... Err, bad Kagome! Trees aren't good husbands!_ Then again, what did she know? Perhaps trees were better suitors than humanoid males... _Gods, I can't think straight. At this rate I'm gonna turn into Rin and think about eating Winnie the Pooh._

"Ew! Did you see the size of that snake?! It might be a mutated anaconda!" Yuka nearly screeched after catching sight of a green, black-speckled snake coiling around a thick tree trunk. Her expression darkened when the snake darted its tongue out in a hiss, but it just so happen to be in _her_ direction. "Oh my gods..."

A snake was taunting her... A _snake_ of all animals! Snakes were deceptive creatures, silent predators only caring for themselves and their own gratification... They removed anything that stood in their way with one venomous bite... Yuka stopped in mid-thought when guilt chilled her mind. _I'm practically describing myself. _

At least she admitted it.

Kagome glanced at the aforementioned snake and yawned in boredom. Battling Kikyou was much scarier than staring at a snake—albeit a huge one—slither around all day. "We're in a rainforest, Yuka. You're going to see a _lot_ of freaky things."

Besides, Inuyasha must have thought it wasn't a threat because the animal was still alive after he walked passed it. Therefore, she didn't have to worry over a snake taking her life. Yet, that was only _if_ Inuyasha alerted her to it... If he kept silent, obviously she would never know the dangers surrounding her.

Hm...somehow, the miko realized the latter thought was a double-meaning...but the missing link was no where to be found. Oh well.

Yuka stared at her indifferent best friend for a long while before she rolled her blue-gray eyes and mumbled, "Whatever." She looked down at her knee-high black leather boots caked in mud, and then noticed that her matching trousers were also soiled. "Ugh! Where can I find a Laundromat around here? And why do these outfits have to be black?"

Her favorite color wasn't black! Hmph!

"You can't be serious..." It was plain and clear that Kagome wasn't in the best of moods to deal with annoying people so early in the morning, but apparently, Yuka ignored the warning. "Mud isn't poison—it'll come off with some water when we find a creek. This is my diagnosis: you'll live."

"Thank you very much for saving my life, doctor. Your diagnosis was insightful," Yuka responded just as sarcastically as her best friend. She rolled her eyes again before crossing her arms over her jet black corset top. "What crawled up your ass and died, huh? Normally you're not such a bitch."

"Did you just call me a bitch?" Kagome barely refrained from gaping in shock; usually, the only one who called her a bitch was Inuyasha...or some sort of dog demon! Yes, she was crabby, but _no_ one called her a bitch! "Listen, Yuka, I don't know what—"

"Stop jumping to conclusions! And just because I'm stating a fact doesn't mean it's automatically my fault you're in a bad mood, so don't look like you're going to bitch-slap me, either."

She was going to bitch-slap her anyway! "What crawled up _your_ ass and died, huh?" The miko retorted, using her friend's earlier inquiry. "Normally you're not such a bitch."

"Oh, I see! This is what happens when you spend too much time with Inu-bastard, right?" The gleam in Yuka's stormy eyes was malicious, but Kagome met her glare head-on. She knew the moment in time was the calm before the storm, yet she wasn't running away from this. Nope. "It's only natural for you to copy his bad manners after living with him for six months."

"When did this become all about Inuyasha? I thought this was between you and me." Kagome narrowed her chocolate eyes, neglecting to be nice and kind and compassionate and...and whatever else she usually was. Right now, there was no time to feign consideration for a true, outright bitch. "Let's get one thing straight: I'm not stupid."

"I never said you were."

"No, but you must think I am. Why else would you assume I wouldn't know that you're lying to me and _have been _lying to me for the past three months?"

The expression on Yuka's face morphed into terror, and the miko wondered why. Her words rang true, yet from her friend's dramatic reaction, was there more than what met her eyes? Just _what_ occurred behind the scenes between her fiancé and her alleged best friend?

Yuka accepted her bait...now it was time to reel the reward in.

"I told you to mind your own business. I'm sorry, Yuka, but you don't live my life and I don't live yours. Of course you wouldn't like the guys I like—we're different! Do you know what that means? _Memorize_ it." Kagome was nice; she gave Yuka a chance.

It wasn't her fault the teen trampled on it and jeopardized their friendship as a result.

At long last, Yuka didn't seem concerned about the miko's enlightenment on a certain matter, and she huffed angrily. "If I was dating a suspicious, uncouth guy who treated my best friend like crap, what would you do, Kagome? I mean, you _are_ my friend, right? What would you do?"

"Like I said, we're different." Heh, the auburn-haired teen was tricky. Truthfully, Kagome sympathized with the stubborn girl and recognized her concern. Yet, when her concern evolved into a smothering fire that constantly spurned her fiancé, it needed to be extinguish. "If you love him, then I'd trust you're making the right decision."

"Do you love Inuyasha?" For once in her life, Yuka referred to the hanyou by his actual name, and Kagome blinked, confused. The teen was completely serious, and her penetrating gaze remained trained on her face for even the slightest reaction to her question. "Answer me. _Do_ you love him?"

How was she supposed to answer a question she asked herself a million times?

She didn't know what love was; there wasn't a simple definition to it. It wasn't as though she ever had strong feelings for another person in her entire life, but how was she supposed to know it meant love? And if she said she loved the hanyou, it might be a lie. If she denied it, she'd end up hurting him and perhaps betraying herself.

"Mind your own business." Kagome wasn't going to fall in the sly teen's trap. Since it didn't affect Yuka's life directly, then there was no point in her knowing, right? Friends or not, the teen wasn't her mother and her concern was unwanted. "Even if I _do_ marry Inuyasha, it won't be until after I graduate."

Shoot...was the hanyou listening to their altercation? Hopefully since it involved his detested enemy, he was turning a blind eye.

"Ha! You can't answer a simple yes or no question. Wow, and I thought you were an overachiever," the auburn-haired eighteen-year-old sneered, but smiled, nonetheless. However, Kagome furrowed her eyebrows in confusion since it was a _relieved_ smile. "You don't love him."

"What?" _Don't tell me she's deciding things for me again! She could just shut her big mouth and—GRRRR!!!_ Too much anger for a miko! "I didn't hear you right."

"You. Don't. Love. Him." Yuka made sure to enunciate every syllable to prove her point.

With every emphasized word, Kagome only felt herself shrinking and shrinking. Was she supposed to fight back and declare her 'undying love' for Inuyasha? _This is a trap. I know it. She's trying to force it out of me, make me doubt my feelings._

But gods, the worst thing was that her little backstabbing plan worked. "Yuka...shut up."

"You don't love him. Why? Because you didn't defend him. I talk trash about him all the time and you barely flinch. If someone talked trash about _my_ man, I'd rip her mouth off. Kags, you just don't know what to do with a boyfriend, now do you? Much less a _fiancé_." She seemed so happy about her latest discovery...she was smiling...beaming...

Was it wrong to feel the urge to slap a friend? A '_best_ friend'? A friend she basically grew up with and had been there for her when her father abruptly died? Given the situation, it wasn't. "Shut up. If you're really my friend, you'd _shut_ up." _I can't take much more of this. I can't! _

The calm before the storm...the calm was ebbing away...gradually eroding...

...and the storm was predicted to be intense.

But Yuka continued. She selfishly continued spewing nonsense. "You, my dear friend, do not love—"

"Are you deaf or what? **SHUT THE FUCK UP!!!"**

Finally...the storm arrived and left destruction in its wake...though, surprisingly, Kagome wasn't at the core of it.

Both Yuka and Kagome turned to the source of the paralyzing shout, and their eyes widened at the sight of Inuyasha nearly shaking in anger. His eyes flashed from deadly crimson to vibrant gold and vice versa every few seconds, which was dangerous since the last time he lost control ended in _immense_ chaos... Kagome gulped and her hope suffered a fatal accident.

He had overheard.

He heard the _entire_ conversation. And so, he also heard how she hardly defended him and his honor, something a _true_ mate would do... He heard how she couldn't even defend her wish to marry him... He heard how she couldn't even defend her hidden feelings for him...

Her heart was inches away from suffering like her hope. It was grasped in a hand so tight, it might burst and bleed her to death. In order to soothe it, her hand crept over her chest, right above her black breast plate. Useless. Any attempts to assuage the storm were useless.

The hanyou glowered at the two reticent teens before a scowl dominated his features. "I'm tired of hearing you two whine back and forth. Let me end this stupid argument once and for all: you're both _weak_, deceiving bitches. You're _lying_ to each other. And it makes me sick that you still say you're friends."

Silence accompanied the demon god's angry allegation, and he reveled in his audience's shock. "Now shut the fuck up, keep walking, and let me think in peace."

"Whoa, wait a minute!" Yuka finally revived from her state of shock and placed her hands on her hips in a 'who do you think you are' gesture. "Who made you in charge, bastard? Like Kagome said, this is between _me_ and _her_. Butt out!"

Kagome stood a little ways behind her, not knowing what to say or how to respond to the internal pain her hanyou was feeling, the hand that gripped her heart. She messed up big time...

Inuyasha barely bit back a snarl, yet growled at the wench's impertinence. "Don't lecture me about minding my business because you're a fucking hypocrite! And I **made** myself in charge—suck it up!"

"Oh yeah? As if I'd allow myself to be governed by an asshole who treats his fiancée like shit. She doesn't love you, Inu-freak! You heard, didn't you? Leave the poor girl alone before you hurt her even more."

"I thought I said to shut the fuck **UP!!!" **

**BOOM!**

**"AHH!"**

"Inuyasha! What the hell?!" Kagome gaped at the hanyou, speechless. He just...he just _blasted_ Yuka thirty feet away! She was slammed against a tree trunk due to one of his powerful orbs crimson red energy—furious energy! A human...he hit a _human_ with an immortal attack! "Yuka! Are you okay?!"

"O-Ow..." Yuka rubbed the back of her head, and when she inspected it, there was a splash of crimson liquid staining it. She blinked, cocking her head despite her aching cranium. "Wha...? I'm...bleeding...cool..." Oh no...she was...she was dying! No!

Wait, it was the tooth fairy! She came to save the day!

The miko, forgetting her earlier argument with the auburn-haired teen, quickly ran towards her and helped her stand on shaky limbs. All the while, Inuyasha glared at them, his back straight and chin held high in a proud stature.

Kagome glowered in return. "Dammit, you could've _killed_ her! Have you gone insane?! What were you thinking?! Say something, you jerk!"

But she knew he didn't regret what he did, or that because of him Yuka was probably seeing the tooth fairy in front of her dazed eyes. Kagome noted this with one questioning glance towards him.

Inuyasha turned without another word and resumed his long trek through the rainforest; he wasn't waiting for Yuka to regain her footing. Kagome couldn't help but absentmindedly stare after his fading silhouette as she allowed her friend to lean on her for support. The teen could barely summon the strength to walk...her head must have suffered a severe concussion.

_Is he just leaving us here...? Inuyasha couldn't...he wouldn't do that! Right?_ But he wasn't waiting. She couldn't even see his silvery white hair anymore! The rainforest was like a jungle; thick trees barred her sight, the sky was only a bunch of azure dots no larger than her pinky's finger nail—and there were dangerous predators lurking around! _Yuka and I can't fend for ourselves!_

But he wasn't waiting.

Inuyasha...actually left them behind.

**

* * *

**

He was absolutely perfect in her eyes...the person she strove to become. Somehow, he came to represent the goodness she wished she had...the life she desired aside from her quest for the Shikon no Tama. Yes, he was perfect. He was symbolic of perfect serenity.

Watching him now through her mahogany brown eyes, she arrived at a conclusion. Whatever happened in the near future, whether she survived the war against Naraku this time around or not, she would still protect him..._be_ with him. Was this love? Perhaps. The sweet, welcoming warmth that calmed her nerves and relaxed her muscles enough to allow a smile to form on her lips was probably defined as fickle mortal love.

Well, then love wasn't so fickle, she supposed.

"Kikyou?"

The dark-haired miko blinked out of her reverie and regained her somber composure before glancing at the man who called her. He smiled—it was a soft, knowing smile that caused the warmth of 'love' to control her body again—and nodded towards a jar of herbs to her left. She understood the silent message and handed it to him.

"Thank you," he said, regarding her with his deep gray eyes prior to returning to the concoction of herbs he was grinding. She watched him as he worked on medicine for a bunch of orphan children in a nearby village—they were immortals but human in that they still suffered through sickness.

"Suikotsu." His name escaped her lips before Kikyou could stop them, and when he abandoned his current occupation in order to place all of his attention on her, she felt as though her heart swelled.

Why was this man able to estrange her to her own body? What kind of supernatural powers did he secretly possess? "I will leave to the Western Lands tomorrow; I won't be able to accompany you to the village."

The gray-eyed immortal heaved a solemn sigh, saddened by the news. Usually the miko came along to visit the ill orphan children he had somewhat adopted; she regretted her recent decision to join the battlefront to the west. But she, along with the Band of Seven, was employed by King Kouga as mercenaries; she could not refuse the profit of her makeshift profession.

Then again, the only reason she joined a band of mercenaries was to get close to the Shikon no Tama...

"What a shame, then. The children will miss you," Suikotsu replied, shaking his head. Although he too was a part of the Band of Seven, he preferred to stay away from all the bloodshed whilst he awaken a part of himself he wished to keep dormant. "I hope you return safely, Kikyou. I would not be alive if it hadn't been for you."

Yes, his words rung true. The part of himself, of his _mind_, that he desired to restrain had once taken over his self-control and initiated a death rampage. It was truly a miracle when a sable-haired miko entered the scene and purified the evil lying within him. Suikotsu was therefore in Kikyou's debt...he owed his _life_ to her...

...but she was selfish and desired more than just his life.

"Hmph, I cannot fall so easily, you should know that." Kikyou closed her eyes, yet reopened them, settling them on the wooden wall opposite her. The hut she was in wasn't lavish or huge in size; it was rather bare and simple. There were only hard wooden floorboards beneath her feet. But she liked it—Doctor Suikotsu's medicinal hut.

It made her feel humble...like a real woman, the wife of a doctor helping him in his daily duties. Only that, obviously, she wasn't his wife. _Not yet._ She hid a smirk at the thought.

Suikotsu chuckled in response, and Kikyou couldn't help but muse how hearing him laugh made her want to laugh as well. When did she ever show physical signs of amusement of _that_ caliber? Ridiculous! "Your enemies are foolish for thinking of overpowering you! Yet, even so, I still wish you a safe return."

He meant his words...the gleam in his gray eyes was sincere and profound, imbedding itself into her soul, imprinting in her mind for the rest of her life... Kikyou found it difficult to swallow, but grabbed a hold of herself before she lost all self-control. The last thing she needed was to lose her calm, collected composure.

_Yet...what if I don't survive this war?_ There was always the possibility she could lose her life...a second time. Priestesses exerted a vast amount of spiritual energy on the battlefield—a weakly trained one would surely die in a span of ten minutes. _I'm a seasoned miko, however; not a whelp._ Yup, Kagome was a different story, though...

Well, if Kikyou didn't survive the war, then she would think nothing of it. Only that, she hated leaving behind loose ends. It would be puerile to ignore the sentiments of her human heart, as much as she desired to, and so it was only proper to let the person receiving her silent affections know about her hidden feelings for him.

Suikotsu was kind; he would probably be incapable of rejecting her.

She didn't want his pity—he could shove it where it came from for what she cared. On the other hand, however, she wasn't about to die with regrets. Nope. Her conscience would be clean and her spirit impeccable. And she would perish proudly knowing that she had loved, and therefore had lived.

"Suikotsu, I...I..." Although her thoughts were encouraging and oozing with confidence, they failed to assemble into coherent, comprehensive sentences. The object of her obsessions faced her with bright inquisitive eyes, and the lump lodged in her throat merely increased in diameter. "I..."

Dammit, she couldn't do it! For once, Kikyou was unable to do something simple as say 'I love you!' What harm could there be in confessing her love? A feeling of vulnerability? Knowing that Suikotsu held her fragile heart in her hands to do as he pleased?

"Is something wrong?" Her inability to speak concerned him, apparently. He stopped grinding the herbs altogether and moved to kneel in front of her, his gaze intently bearing into hers. Heh, he even went so far as to cup her frozen hands in his, warming them, smiling when a blush crept on her pale cheeks.

Gods, Kikyou, the almighty miko, was _blushing_...

"You can tell me anything," Suikotsu began with his disarming smile. "Whatever it is, I will listen. I promise."

_Why must you be so kind-hearted?_ Kikyou lamented in her mind, sighing when she alas failed her mission to speak her mind. _You'll be the death of me. It's humiliating, this...this love thing. I'm actually willing to die for a man._ When the hell did she evolve from emotionless and cold to hopeless and in love?

"Nothing is wrong." She managed that much—now all she had to do was say the rest! Not happening anytime soon, though... "I-I...I just...wanted to let you know that..." It was coming...she was almost finished! Just a few more words! "...that I...I lo—"

"Hey! Break it up over there!"

_I know that annoying voice anywhere._ Kikyou inwardly growled and glanced at the entrance to the hut, not the least bit surprised at seeing an arrogant, Arctic silver-eyed dog demon blocking her view. He smirked cockily at her seething glare, and shrugged at the questioning look Suikotsu shot him.

Why was the miko pissed off, no one knew.

"What do you want now, Meimori?" Kikyou said rather bitterly, but bit back her next words. _He most likely doesn't know about Kagura yet and how it was completely his fault she was turned into Naraku's slave. Be reasonable, Kikyou. Suikotsu never jumps to conclusions._ "I'm busy."

Okay, her alternative wasn't _too_ shabby...

"Geez, don't rip your panties off just 'cause you witnessed my sexiness." The demon god rolled his eyes and stepped further into the hut, staring down at the kneeling pair. "Sorry, I have a tendency to ruin romantic moments—not that I care—but I have things to do so I'm just gonna cut to the chase: I need your help."

"_My_ help?" Kikyou was incredulous! She stood from her kneeling position and glowered at her 'guest', suspicion polishing her eyes until a malicious gleam shown in them. "When do you ever ask for help?"

_What is he planning now?_ Everyone knew that Meimori was dangerous once he actually _used_ his brain to think...

Meimori ran a hand over his face prior to turning to a baffled Suikotsu. "I'm gonna need your help, too. I already got Bankotsu's permission." The human mortal solely nodded in compliance. "Okay peeps, listen up! Mission Save the Day must be carried out—"

"Are you kidding me?" A certain miko was seconds away from laughing her ass off and she never laughed. "_You_, evil demon god prince, trying to save the day? Ha, I might as well undergo emergency plastic surgery."

"Gods know you need it. Piece of advice: get some ass implants." Suikotsu choked back his laughter with one glare from his companion while Meimori scowled at her lack of support. _Modernized immortals, what a drag._ Well, she wasn't as bad as Kizurei—now _he_ came up with some weird mortal concepts...like Pokémon... What the hell was that?! "Can you let me finish now?"

"Please go right ahead. I'll make an appointment with my plastic surgeon while you rant like a confused puppy."

"I'm a grown dog demon for your information!"

"You're not even in your prime, little puppy."

"Shut the fuck up!"

"'Shut the fuck up!'"

"What the hell was that?!"

"I was mocking you. Must you always inquire about the obvious?"

"Gods, no wonder you're such a bitch. I thought you were over-fucked and that's why you walk with a stick up your ass, but now I see that you're _under_-fucked." Meimori shook his head in pity as Kikyou quirked an eyebrow, but she didn't question the demon's lack of cognitive skills.

Poor Suikotsu was too flustered to mutter a word... It wasn't his fault images of the dark-haired, all-too-serious miko in sexual positions while...uh...he... End of sentence.

"Alright, you're wasting my time," Kikyou said, crossing her arms. "What do you want?"

"World domination."

"Answer seriously."

She didn't have a sense of humor! What a horrible woman! "Fine! I need to correct a serious wrong, but I can't do it alone. It involves destroying everything I've worked for, yet the end result will be worth it, I'm sure of it."

"Is that so?" Kikyou couldn't imagine what kind of epiphany Meimori had overnight; she didn't trust his words just yet. Once a conniving dog, always a conniving dog. "Where do I come in?"

The dog demon smirked. "You're going to help me by retrieving the Shikon no Tama."

"Wasn't I already doing that?" Was he stupid or just _that_ ignorant?

_No, there's something else he's planning. _Kikyou narrowed her gaze and tried to analyze the normal arrogant mask the demon across from her wore on his handsome face. She noted Suikotsu stepping beside her, also cognizant of a mishap in their guest's behavior.

Did Meimori want the Shikon no Tama for himself? Why else would he care if she retrieved it or not? Kikyou was growing wary of him...she had enough of his secret alliances and strong, impulsive actions. Whatever he was planning couldn't be good, especially if he was still Naraku's lap dog.

"No no no, my dear Kikyou!" She glared at him for adding a sarcastic endearment to her name, and he shrugged, ignoring her. "You see, when Inuyasha finds out where the Shikon no Tama is and Kagome hands it to you like a good little girl, you're going to purify it—that's your job, isn't it?"

"Yes," the miko responded apathetically. She couldn't understand where this conversation was leading to. "I must purify it in order for Kagome to be able to use Midoriko's full power."

"And there lies the problem. I don't want you to purify it." The smirk on Meimori's face was devious—not evil, just devious. It was like the expression of a mischievous pup purposely rebelling against his father's orders, delighting in the consequences, in the thrill of the moment... "Why? Because I need to use it."

A demon couldn't use a purified Shikon no Tama...it would purify _him_ as a result.

"And you expect me to allow this?" Kikyou turned to Suikotsu and smiled sarcastically. He met her smile with analytic eyes. "Do you hear this? A demon is asking me, a miko, for the Shikon no Tama as though I'll be glad to hand it to a damned soul working for Naraku."

"It _is_ quite troublesome..." The dark-haired doctor rubbed his chin in thought as Meimori seethed in the background. Why must everyone think the worst of him?! Sheesh! "Listen to him, Kikyou. I think he has no reason to use the jewel for evil."

"How can you say that?" The miko was once again incredulous. "This is a demon! Demon plus Shikon no Tama equals chaos! My task is to _prevent_ the jewel from being tempered with! It's to—"

"Kikyou," Suikotsu interrupted the beginnings of her uncharacteristic tirade before it was too late, "_look_ at him. Meimori radiates confidence and arrogance. He will not use the Shikon no Tama for himself because he does not _need_ power. He desires something completely different."

She contemplated his sagacious words and shifted her gaze to the smug dog demon, who was pleased with Suikotsu's comments. At least one person in this realm believed in him! "Just tell me why you need the jewel, Meimori, and I may rethink my words."

The answer came simply to the demon god and he was glad to reply, along with his trademark smirk, "Well, let's just say that I plan on ending two wars with one jewel and taking the calm before the storm back home with me..."

* * *

**A/N: END! I got one more hot dog to go! :-D YAY! Meimori wants to save the day! WOOT! **

Next chapter:** Merf, I still don't know. Sesshoumaru and Rin will get married, Sessh will go through the ascension ceremony, Inu will spill the beans... But what beans? O.O**

**Sooo...What does Meimori plan to do with the Shikon no Tama? When is Inu gonna be a man and tell Kagome about Yuka's deceivement? Well, did he really leave Yuka and Kags alone in a rainforest? How will Sessh nad Rin's wedding turn out? Will the demon puppets be killed by my dead fish? Where's Papa Seiryuu? **

**And don't forget about the blood Seiryuu collected from the four soul keepers! DON'T FORGET! I keep telling you guys but the blood daggers haven't been mentioned since chapter eight... :-D **

**Anyway, REVIEW! THE SPIDER MONKEYS WILL LOVE YOU! :-D**


	41. Standing Her Ground

**A/N: Umm...I think everyone's too mad at me to listen to excuses, so... Yeah. It's been four months so let me start over again. Hi everybody! :-D Here's the deal: it took me a long time to update, yeah, but at least I updated, right? At least this story didn't end up like my other ones, which it could've...**

**So just remember that me updating is a luxury for you and stress on my part, so no flaming me cuz I haven't updated in months. Shit happens. **

**Therefore, I'm starting over. (kinda...) I think we all forgot about this story, but anyone who reviewed last chapter, thank you! This chappie is dedicated to you because I can't reply (me busy...)! I'll reply this time though...**

**Anyway, before you start reading, here's what's happened so far because even I forgot:**

So, a few weeks after everyone came back from Portugal, Inuyasha got into an argument with Kagome and Houjo and was totally pissed off and 'awakened' his dormant powers from his former life. What that means is that he can unlock Kurayami's (dead half-uncle) Blade (you know, the scythe thing). So he tears up the city, Kagome awakens and unlocks Midoriko's spear thing, Sesshoumaru shows up 'awakened' too (he has Kurayami's Nightmare spear thing) and finally Rin shows up to bring everything back to normal by singing. So she awakened, too.

Afterwards, Rin and Sessh are enlightened by Jaken and Myouga about Kurayami and Midoriko and crap, Inu and Kagome have feelings to sort out, and then Meimori (Inu and Sessh's cousin, twin of Kizurei) shows up wanting to kidnap Inu by Naraku's orders. But that doesn't happen because Kikyou shows up and stops him along with Kizurei.

She takes Inu and Kag for some extra training but they get stuck between dimensions and Inu loses his wings. Finally they get out and find themselves in a huge rainforest--they agree to stay engaged despite everything that's happened. Then Yuka ruins everything with her annoyingness and pisses off Inu, making him think Kagome doesn't care about him.

Shit happens and he blasts Yuka, making Kagome angry in turn, and storms off.

Meanwhile, Rin tried to convince Sessh to let her go with him to the immortal after his uncle told him he needed to ascend into kingship immediately. He has none of it and escapes without her noticing. Jaken and Myouga help her get to the immortal realm, yet she comes in the middle of a battle against an evil Kagura (Naraku stole her heart to piss off Meimori).

Kizurei's badly hurt, Rin looks like shit, Sessh is devious, and he finally decides to marry Rin and become a king. And let's not forget about Kouga and Ayame, who are both married, King and Queen respectively, and are pissed off. Sango and Miroku are off in the Eastern Lands trying to get help for the sudden attack on the Western Lands.

**So basically, everyone is pissed off. The End! :-D **

**NOW ENJOY THE CHAPPIE! **

* * *

**Oh My Gods! 41**

* * *

_**"DAAAMMIIIT!"**_

**Boom!**

_**"STUPID BIIITCH!"**_

**Boom!**

_**"FUCK HEEER!"**_

**Boom!**

_**"GRRRAAAHH!!!"**_

**BOOOM!**

Inuyasha sunk to his knees and gasped for breath, inwardly cursing his lack of energy and feeble mentality. _Dammit all! I...can't fucking stand this!_ Sweat poured in waves down the side of his neck, his cheeks, his forehead... The salty liquid constantly leaked into his eyes, burning the delicate organs, and he was forced to wipe them dry. His chest heaved every split second as his lungs expanded in vain to hold more air—but his agitated fury prevented him from settling his irregular breathing.

"Shit..." The vituperation sounded like a weak mumble tumbling off his lips, and the hanyou ground his elbows into the dark soil beneath him, closing his eyes and suppressing the urge to scream his frustration away. Physically, he was unable to move even the slightest muscle—his vision was tunneled and all his energy reserves were empty.

Mentally, however, his thoughts were racing, adding fuel to the fire burning within his anxious soul.

He clenched his hands into trembling fists, yet uncurled them in order to rake his damp silvery bangs plastered against his flustered forehead away from his haggard honey eyes. _Now what? Since I already screamed and raved like some fucking pansy, now what am I supposed to do? _

Focusing on the nearly black soil underneath him was impossible, so moving from his spot was out of the question. Inuyasha sighed before his body collapsed onto the ground completely, and he just laid there with closed eyes and stretched limbs. The clearing he was in hadn't originally been a clearing; nope, it was solely the uninhabited place he encountered along his journey and therefore chose to demolish.

Usually, he had a great respect for nature and would never think of destroying it, but irrationality was just that—irrational. He hadn't even thought about what he was doing until he exerted all his energy and was brought to his knees. Heh, the area now looked like the place a plane crashed in, or so Inuyasha mused. Trees with long roots were parallel to the ground, decimated or mutilated, while their strewn leaves added an effect of disarray in the clearing.

The ground itself was scarred by three large tears that conspicuously seemed as though huge talons sunk beneath the surface. Yes, the hanyou hadn't spared nature from his uncontrollable fury this time around.

Releasing blast after blast after _blast_ of disintegrating crimson energy deteriorated his strength and rendered him in the state he was currently in. It was only now that he regretted losing control of himself so brazenly—shouldn't royal princes be able to control themselves?

They _should._ But he wasn't one of them; he wasn't like Sesshoumaru, Prince Stick-Up-Ass.

_Far_ from it.

"There's no point in sulking," Inuyasha muttered, thoroughly disgusted with his recent conduct. "Then again, there's no point in berating myself." What a fool he was, to fall into these traps, to lose his rationality in stupid mind games.

He wasn't stupid! He knew that bitch-face Yuka was just trying to get under his skin and make him dump Kagome, but then why did he still feel as though he was betrayed? Just because the wench didn't defend him like a mate should, just because the wench didn't admit she loved him or something sappy like that didn't mean she wasn't thinking it!

Hell, it didn't mean anything!

And yet...here he was...lying on the ground, lost and full of rage...despondent and hapless.

Yup, here was the future King of the Eastern Lands, stuck in a fucking rainforest with two annoying bitches as he frequently pondered his self-worth. Oh yeah, people _definitely_ looked up to him to fight a war against Naraku. Keh! Hadn't Inuyasha vowed that his kingdom came before all else?

So, what was he doing forgetting his pride, values, and priorities in favor of worrying about a human cunt who had shit in her mouth? What was he doing cursing himself to hell when he should be undergoing an ascension ceremony and blowing a creepy, blood-crazed bastard to fucking bits?

"Tired..." At last his answer came in the form of yet another languid mumble. The hanyou deeply exhaled and refrained from budging an inch from his comfortable spot. Yes, his spot on the ground was comfortable... Pesky flies were too afraid of his recent tantrum to invade his personal space. "Too tired..."

Surely Kagome would understand if he delayed their reunion for a few minutes?

It wasn't like he planned on leaving her and her bitch-ass friend in a dangerous rainforest alone and virtually defenseless! He was pissed at them both, but he was _not_ a bastard! Besides, he already committed his bastardly deed for the day: blasting Yuka and her Shit-in-Mouth syndrome the fuck away from him.

"Aww...the poor puppy is taking a break. How cute."

Inuyasha, despite his earlier debility, bolted into a sitting position and faced the person who had spoken in such a smooth yet condescending voice. His golden amber eyes widened at the sight of a dark-haired demon god—a rank ten demon god since he managed to enter and leave the rainforest with ease—standing only a few feet away from him, gazing down at him with amused crimson eyes...

Something about this demon nicked at his sixth sense...alerted him of looming danger...

Luckily, he heeded his instincts and rose to stand a good ten feet away from the bastard. _How the hell hadn't I caught his scent?!_ Was there a new spell travelling around that hid a person's scent or what?! Kizurei and Meimori both managed to sneak up on him and now this random person did, too! _I could use a spell like that..._

Um...he was straying from the situation at hand...

"I'm not in the mood to play games, so let's just cut to the chase. Who are you and what do you want?" Inuyasha narrowed his gaze when the demon across from him merely smirked in response while he crossed his arms over his torso, adorned in a simple black silk shirt. "Hey! I want answers!"

For all he knew, the demon god could've been spying on him! Ew! _Was he staring at me while I was lying on the ground with my eyes closed? _Pervert!

"But _I_ want to play a game, puppy," the intruder crooned in his suave voice. His smirk widened enough to expose a gleaming pearl white fang as he took a step closer to his target. "Shh, you don't have to be afraid. It's a fairly easy game—trust me."

The hanyou ignored his 'comforting words' and barely suppressed a threatened growl. Adrenaline was beginning to infiltrate his veins once again, giving him the energy required to either fight or take flight, while the hairs on the back of the hanyou's neck rose in alarm once the demon treaded even closer. This time, he made sure to snarl viciously in warning.

However, his vision faltered once. _Twice._

His head felt overly light; his muscles ached and tensed from its earlier overuse. Inuyasha immediately realized that he was in no condition to initiate a fight, no matter how threatened or apprehensive he felt. _Gods, this bastard just makes me feel sick! My skin is literally crawling just knowing he's breathing the same air I do... The way he's staring at me creeps me out, too. _

Those amused crimson eyes...the color of blood... Those beady white pupils that seemed to search deep inside his soul...penetrating him...destroying his defenses...

His heart constricted as the demon took another step towards him. For some reason, however, Inuyasha found it difficult to move his legs and retreat. He just couldn't! It was as though his body was frozen stiff, _bewitched_ by the malicious eyes feeding voraciously on the fear most likely overwhelming his scent...

Hell, he had felt the same way the first time he met Kikyou and he clearly remembered the outcome of that fateful meeting—a 'spirit bullet' right in his cranium. At least she hadn't killed him, and thankfully he wasn't in his human form at the moment.

_Fuck, I wished I had controlled myself back there. Now I don't have the energy to blast this guy._ Then he had no other choice; his wings were his last resort. Shit...he totally forgot he had them ripped off a while back! Even if he chose to run away like a damn coward, he wouldn't be able to get far in his condition and lack of wings! _DAMMIT! Fuck my life!_

Which was a better fate—fleeing for his life although he would be caught or staying to meet his doom, if he was killed by an obviously stronger opponent? _Keh! I'm not a fucking pansy! Like hell I'm ever running from a good fight!_ "Back off, dipshit! Like I said—I'm not playing any of your fucking games! So if you're looking for a fight, take the fat stick out of your ass and fight me!"

Good thing Kagome was no where near him or she'd beat his ass for instigating a fight...

"Ku ku ku..." The dark-haired demon god's chuckle caused Inuyasha's eyes to widen again, and he felt the same sick feeling overwhelm him from prior, the same crawling sensation on his skin every time that bastard opened his mouth... "Fine, puppy, let's play. If you win, I'll let you go free. If I win, however...you'll do as I say."

"Oh yeah, I might as well chop my hair off and make you a coat, too, right? Sorry, I don't know any spells for sewing clothes so I guess we can't—ah!!!" **Slam!**

_Shit, shit, shit, SHIT!_The demon god claimed to be playing a game, but he was serious when he slammed the hanyou against the ground with a seemingly effortless punch. Inuyasha groaned when his vision wavered, and he tried to stand up despite his obvious weakness, but...

"Hey, get your fucking foot off me!" Blood red eyes smiled down at him, and the foot grinding into his chest only applied more pressure. Throughout the torture, he attempted to hide all signs of discomfort or pain, yet it was conspicuous with the pained grimace marring his dirt-smeared face. "Get off!"

"Like I said: if I win...you will do as I say..."

"Like I said—go rot in fucking hell!" _What's up with me these days—everyone wants to kill me! GRR! I'm not that weak!_ Inuyasha growled in rage, allowing adrenaline to rush through his veins once more and give him the strength to retaliate. He wasn't about to let this damn perverted bastard have his way with him!

Not that he was getting raped...at least momentarily...

His hands began to glow a furious crimson red, just like earlier, and he was about release his radiating energy onto his oblivious opponent, but the deadly glint of a dagger caught his attention... Before he could even react, however, the dark-haired demon god smirked cruelly and flaunted the dagger before his eyes.

The dagger was tipped with a dark purple liquid...Inuyasha gasped when he realized the demon god's true intentions.

"From hereon, your every thought will be mine. You can never hide from me, puppy, and when I call upon you, you will come to me." His fangs glistened as he smirked widely, twirling the dagger in his hand prior to bending down towards the captive hanyou until their faces were inches apart. "I will kill you, Kurayami, because I am the hell that is Naraku."

_Wait, this is the stupid-ass bastard who declared war against three kingdoms?! This is Nara—_ Inuyasha's mental declaration was abruptly cut off and the ability to think escaped him. His golden eyes threatened to bulge out of their sockets while his back arched, lifting at least half of his body off the stable ground beneath him. Inwardly his nerves were rampant; they were rushing along with his blood, increasing his awareness of pain...heightening his senses.

He didn't even perceive the dagger that was protruding from his left shoulder—all he knew was that pain wracked his body like it had never done before. Usually he was more tolerant to pain! Not even enduring a hole in his gut was as bad!

And all the while...he felt like acid was poured on his wound... Hell, he felt like a slimy creature with long tentacles was stretching inside of him, establishing limbs in each corner of his veins!

It was a disgusting feeling that he became aware of after the initial pain and left each one of his violated appendages shaking in a losing battle. But although Inuyasha desired nothing more than to reach up and pull the dagger out of his shoulder, and then perhaps claw Naraku's eyes out, his body had reached its limit; even moving his finger proved difficult.

He was utterly defenseless...and his head felt lighter than before...his vision failed to focus on the gleaming crimson eyes staring at him...

At long last, Naraku retracted the dagger but the damage was already done... The dark-haired demon only smirked in triumph—it pleased him to know that he wouldn't have to worry about the malicious, vindictive part of Kurayami's soul for a while.

And by the roll of the half-breed's eyes to the back of his head, he instantly surmised that he was blessed with a new vision, as well. Perfect...his plan had been absolutely perfect. He had caught the hanyou alone and defenseless in an impenetrable rainforest who knew where and the outcome of their first meeting united their minds with the help of his own miasma.

Hmm, no wonder he was so feared since he could control essentially the most powerful hanyou ever born. Oh well! It was his—

**"Get away from him!!!" **

**Whiz!**

Naraku jumped a good few meters away from the hanyou before a glowing pink arrow most likely created out of purifying miko energy almost lodged into his shoulder and faced a newcomer in the clearing. Immediately his smirk returned and he cocked his head slightly, analyzing the protective raven-haired teenager who came to stand in front of her fallen mate with an arrow cocked on her long ebony bow.

_Ah, so Kagome is no longer a helpless little girl with dormant powers. This is becoming interesting._ "It's a pleasure to meet you, Lady Kagome. As you can see, I have already greeted your future husband."

The miko didn't dare glance at her unconscious fiancé, refusing to remove her chocolate eyes from the unnerving demon across from her. Her energy arrow was prepared to destroy the demon's smug face, crackling sporadically in tune with her rage to be released. How she conjured the handy weapons was lost on her—one moment she was searching for her fiancé and the next she was pissed as hell.

Last time she was involved in a battle, she conjured a huge staff with an orb situated between a U-shaped blade, not bow and arrows resembling that of Inuyasha's mother! But she wasn't complaining!

"Who are you and what did you do to Inuyasha?!" Hmph, it was pointless to ask the enemy questions because they never responded. Or sometimes they just flaunted their plans in a lapse of arrogance and met their early demise.

Yet, what disturbed Kagome greatly was that this particular demon hurt _her_ hanyou and knew her name, too. Was he some sort of stalker? If she recalled correctly, Inuyasha had said only rank ten demon gods could come in and out of the rainforest dimension without any effort...

Certainly no one would enjoy a relaxing, leisure stroll in the wilderness...

"Well, well, well, aren't we demanding today?" Naraku chuckled at the miko's narrowed eyes and intimidating glare. It was so cute when humans and their caring hearts tried to protect their loved ones! In the end, he merely offered them a reality check and a free passage to hell. "You should ask your mate who I am once he awakens while I take my leave."

"I'm not letting you escape!" _No one hurts Inuyasha and gets away with it!_ Even Meimori learned his lesson with a good beating from the Slipper of Death! And besides, she wanted to know what this bastard did to the immobile hanyou still lying on the ground; he had suffered enough the past few days, for goodness sake!

"Fine then," the dark-haired demon conceded, shrugging as he took a step towards the miko only to have an arrow pointed at his chest. He blinked at her method of greeting an old acquaintance. "Hmm...I'll have to remind you _who_ and _what_ I am."

_Enough of this!_ Whoever this demon was, he was pissing her the hell off! Kagome wasn't the type of person to charge into battle without a plan, but this was an exception! Her soul had felt Inuyasha's pain through their bond, had sensed when he was in danger and actually afraid for once in his life—it had nearly killed her on the spot!

She _still_ had to explain to Yuka why she spent five complete minutes on her knees just staring despairingly at the ground!

Therefore, for Inuyasha's sake, Kagome was going to do the protecting and challenge this demon with the spiritual powers she never knew she could command. Surrounded by a bright, pure pink aura, she knew she stood a chance against a being vulnerable to purifying energy, immortal or not. If she stood a freakin' chance, then she could prove once and for all that she was a worthy mate for Inuyasha—she would prove that she _did_ care for him more than her own life!

Why else would she risk her life in this irrational way if it wasn't because she truly lo—?

"Kagome!"

The raven-haired miko glanced behind her out of the corners of her eyes only to see a panting Yuka hugging what was left of a tree sliced into two; she had sprinted from where her friend had abandoned her and now needed some kind of solid support. Anyone would feel bad for her, but then again, Kagome didn't have the time or the will to deal with a bitch...

"Seems like you're friend needs your help. Do you still want to challenge me when you should be tending to her and your hanyou?" Naraku was obviously trying to make the miko doubt her standing and her fighting spirit—like hell she was going to succumb to his mind games!

Yuka could go crawl under a rock for what she cared at the moment! "Shut up! I'll deal with you in a second!" Kagome glowered at the confident demon, daring him to make a cunning move while she addressed the confused and distraught teen a few feet away from Inuyasha's prone form. "Yuka! Stay out of the way or you'll get hurt!"

Inwardly she smiled, strangely excited for the upcoming fight. Any chance she had to prove herself, Kagome would surely enjoy it. _Hell, things are about to get ugly._ Right now, it was just her and a pompous demon who cared more about rolling up his pristine black shirt's sleeves rather than his opponent.

Yuka blinked rapidly, wondering why her friend was pointing a glowing arrow—why the hell was it glowing?—at some handsome yet indubitably fiendish demon wearing amazing eye shadow. Then she glanced at the unmoving figure on the ground and recognized the silver-hair of Inu-freak...

Adding Kagome's protective stance, offensive weaponry, and determined expression to Inu-freak's current loss of conscious... Crap!

"No way, Kagome, you're protecting Inu-bastard?!" Yuka, having finally recovered from the hanyou's energy blast from twenty-minutes prior, bound to her feet yet remained far enough away from the two opponents glaring at one another, waiting for the other to make the first move. "But why?! What has _he_ done for you?! How can you even _think_ of risking your life for him when he blasted me and—"

"Yuka shut **UP!!!"** The auburn-haired teen eeped at her friend's furious shout, and Naraku's amusement wasn't missed by either of the two females. "I've had **enough** of your hissy fits! Understand something once and for all: Inuyasha has sacrificed _everything_ for me time and time again! It's annoying!"

It was annoying because she couldn't return the favor being the weak, gullible human she was. It was annoying because she desired him to be happy yet at the same time she was a selfish bitch who thought of her needs on top of his. It was annoying because he...he would do _anything_ for her, goddammit! And she in turn just fucking couldn't!

"Aw, the supposedly selfless miko has at long last revealed her true feelings," Naraku said, going so far as to clap in fake astonishment. "I might just be moved to kill you even sooner."

"Grr, do me a favor and wait quietly to die! Thank you!" Now that the asshole was taken care of, Kagome only had to worry about getting her pesky friend out of harm's way. She couldn't promise that she would be unscathed in the future and didn't want that pressing on her conscience along with Inuyasha's abundant sacrifices.

"Kagome, please..." Yuka took one look at the smirking demon across from her alleged best friend and knew instantly that he was a force to be reckoned with. She couldn't win against a handsome demon who wore all black, used eye shadow, and smirked 24/7! "Think this over for a bit! Just run away—what would Inu-freak do if he found out you got hurt?!"

Yuka thought so little of her, sheesh... The miko refused to concede and shook her head. "No, it's time that _I_ do something for him! I can't just leave him here hoping he'll miraculously wake up and protect me!"

Naraku nodded in agreement, 'patiently' drumming his claws along his crossed arms. "That is very true...but won't his pride suffer in the process?" He received a deadly glare as an answer to his innocent inquiry and raised his hands in mock surrender.

Yuka didn't know what else to do! She ran towards her friend until she was right beside her, not fearing the fact that she was within striking distance of the miko's opponent. It bothered her that Kagome was clearly focused on the enemy; her narrowed chocolate eyes remained trained on Naraku, discouraging any deceit.

"_Please_," her blue-gray eyes pleaded with the raven-haired teen whose life she probably made a living hell along with her dear fiancé's, "just tell me why you're doing this for a bastard like him."

Not many men would actually take a bullet for the woman they loved, much less merely _cared_ for, and she doubted the hanyou was any different. Usually the arrogant, loud-mouthed men were the most cowardice...

Yet, her belief held true solely until Kagome dispersed her lingering doubts. "I'd risk my life for Inuyasha because he's the only person who merits it. He's..." She needed to say it to herself aloud, she needed to _prove_ to her hanyou, although he was not conscious, that she wasn't a lost soul in a crowd—she knew what she wanted!

And she wanted _him_.

"But Kagome, he doesn't treat you like you should be treated! He doesn't deserve you!"

"**I'm** the one who doesn't deserve him!" _I'm not a princess with unimaginable power and astounding battle skills. I'm not queen-material, either. But I still..._ It took her so long to realize the part of herself that had surely existed from her former life five years in the future...

"This is becoming too sappy for me; I prefer hatred and fear." Naraku sighed in dismay, shaking his head at the soap opera unraveling in front of his eyes. "When is this fight going to begin, hm?" It was rude to keep a guest waiting due to trivial human affections.

"Listen you weird eye shadow-loving bastard with greasy hair—Kagome and I are having a conversation so you have to wait your turn!" Yuka was taking no bullshit from anyone right now, not when her best friend was about to commit a grave mistake! "Grr, Kagome, you're being irrational! I still don't get why you—"

This nonsense had to end! "It's because I freakin' love him, Yuka!" The raven-haired teen allowed her allegation to sink in for a second; reveling in the silence she was met with. Good, there was no opposition. "I _love_ him—L-O-V-E! No matter how many times you try to talk me out of it, no matter how many times you try to turn me against him...I am in love with Maebashi Inuyasha, Prince of the Western-Eastern Empire and a huge pain-in-the-ass hanyou god! So shut up and run for cover already!"

Sheesh! There, she said it! She declared it in public with no doubt clouding her mind—if he returned the sentiment or not, whatever! Not that he was awake to hear her confession, however; he'd probably be offended in a way.

Well, they were getting married and mated, anyway. No matter!

Yuka couldn't compete with her friend's revelation and stood in silence for a few seconds. Mutely, she nodded and retreated to where the clearing became a thick, dense forest, protecting her by shrouding her form amongst the brush. She would've dragged Inu-freak to safety since he was kind of in the middle of a battle field, but she didn't have the strength to lug a six-foot-three hanyou around, _unfortunately_.

Well, at least she was glad Kagome wasn't a dimwitted idiot who wasn't sure if she loved the man she was supposed to marry or not... A firm declaration—an extremely firm one with no room for crap—from the teen was better than wondering if she was ruining her life too early on. Heh, now all Yuka had to do was pretend to like Inu-freak...

Not that he remotely liked her, though.

Oooh, and he was a prince! She thought she heard Meimori saying that at some point, but she never listened to his homicidal, arrogant, extremely creepy rants.

"Dear lord, I never knew declarations of love were such potent weapons," Naraku muttered sardonically, clutching his chest over where his heart should be as though he was in real, gut-wrenching pain. "This is why I hate priestesses and their purity—they _nauseate_ me."

"Argh! That's it!"

Finally, after what seemed like ages later Kagome allowed herself to launch the arrow at her opponent, foreseeing his side-step maneuver and swiftly moving from her spot while preparing another arrow. She recalled that Inuyasha had warned her not to overdo it with the energy arrows—she could only conjure as much energy arrows as the energy she possessed.

Naraku lunged at her with all the speed and ferocity a complete demon god could harness, but the miko reined her fear and worked on ensuring that his claws never touched her delicate skin—they left a huge crater in the area she had been standing in, so...

Heh, although she had believed she had a chance to win this battle, it was a totally different notion trying to hit him with her arrows.

The more arrows she wasted, however...the more energy she consumed needlessly.

_Okay, so maybe I was stupid for thinking I could protect Inuyasha for once!_ Kagome suppressed the urge to cry out when she landed on her back from the force of one of Naraku's missed shots rumbling the earth. Hell, she definitely couldn't let him land a blow on her—one punch and she was dead! _But as long as I can keep the fight away from him, Inuyasha can— _"GAH!"

Too late—one punch and the miko was sent flailing to the ground with a screaming Yuka in the background. It was even worse when Naraku languidly strolled over and ground his left foot on her wrist that was connected to the hand holding her spontaneously evoked long bow.

"Oh, what's this? Are you in pain?" The grimace on her face told it all. Heh, he delighted in her torment; his crimson eyes glistened like diamonds oozing in blood, highlighting his enjoyment. "Here, let me make it worse for you." He applied more pressure on the girl's wrist, loving the way her eyes squeezed shut as her trapped fist clenched air tightly.

"Y-You...bas..." Kagome couldn't even form words on her tongue when the urge to cry out overcame her, but she bit her bottom lip in order to suppress it. Ha! Giving him the satisfaction of her pain was not acceptable!

Oh crap, she couldn't deny it hurt like fucking hell, though...grr! She needed to break free before she fainted or something!

"KAGOME! FIGHT BACK! **FIGHT BACK!!!** PUNCH HIM IN THE BALLS!!!**" **

_Oh gods, Yuka, why don't you ever shut up?_ At this rate, the dark-haired demon was going to break her wrist! _Well, there goes using a bow and arrow for defense..._

"Heh, I like stepping on people." He had said it so casually, too, as though he was on a first date and was stating his favorite color. His entire body weight shifted onto his left foot, increasing Kagome's torture enough to prevent her from forming a complete thought due to the tremors of pain wracking her body. "You mortal humans are pitiful. All I have to do is step on you to subdue you."

Laughable...it was laughable at how easy it was to overpower the keeper of the legendary Midoriko's soul. Was he killing two birds with one stone by keeping both Midoriko and Kurayami in Kagome and Inuyasha at bay? Yes...yes he was! Amazing! Wow, he was coming back with vengeance!

Kagome gritted her teeth, turning onto her side in order to dislodge the foot threatening to shatter the fragile bones in her wrist, yet to no avail. Her free hand pushed at the damn foot; her frazzled mind cursed the booted-foot to oblivion hoping that it would ease her pain, but nothing worked! This couldn't be the end of her!

Not yet!

_N-No...Inu...pro..._ Her brain couldn't form any words containing more than three letters since her neurons were bombarded by alerts of pain overwhelming her system. However, she didn't need to form words to know that her main goal at the moment was to protect her hanyou and make herself useful for once; to prove that she wasn't a coward and could actually _utilize_ her spiritual powers!

But where were they?

Suddenly, the pain under the smug supervision of Naraku became too much for Kagome, and her goal changed to removing the obstacle pressing down on her wrist at all costs. It was all that her very essence focused on, and her extreme desire to return the pain bestowed on her gave her the energy to retaliate. In an instant, both of her hands glowed a bright pink, and they both happened to be close to a part of her enemy's body...

"Dammit!" With a hiss, Naraku quickly jumped away before the appendage was purified right before his eyes, and the miko sat up on the ground, panting heavily as she regained her footing. Her hands were still glowing...the bright pink of her aura soon enveloped her long bow, as well...

Now the _real_ fight commenced.

Kagome's bow abruptly morphed into a more useful weapon for hand-to-hand combat—the tall metal staff with the U-shaped blade that she had summoned the day she awakened. The weapon stopped glowing once she did, and the miko stood, facing her opponent with steady chocolate eyes. Strangely, she wasn't possessed by Midoriko's soul; no, her mind was strong and clear.

And from behind a tall, looming tree, Yuka gawked in admiration.

Now all traces of overconfidence erased from Naraku's being; rather, he glared at her with acute eyes, finally realizing that the longer this battle lasted, the greater the risk was. But he met his new challenge with a lazy smirk. Yes, all he needed was a lazy, arrogant smirk. If Kagome was going to pull a new weapon out of nowhere, then he might as well do the same, right?

"Ku, ku, ku..." His strange, eerie chuckling grated on the miko's nerve and made Yuka gag from a distance. "Well, if it isn't Midoriko's staff! This only means you're getting closer and closer to tapping into the Shikon no Tama. I suppose this is due to your love for Inuyasha, Kurayami's keeper."

Kagome narrowed her eyes, positioning the tall staff vertically in front of her. Somehow, she recalled how to use the overly large weapon from her last battle with it... Thank god for gradually returning memories! "No one asked you! You just like listening to yourself talk!"

"Hmm, you're right." Naraku shrugged, nonchalant towards her growing ire. "I love the hell that I am. The darkness is always welcoming."

Yet, suddenly the aura surrounding him became even more malicious, if possible, and its color changed from a smooth purple to a dark purple bordering on black. It flowed wildly around him, shocking Kagome who was able to see the change in his youki unlike Yuka, who was confused as to why the two were merely staring at each other again.

_What in the hell is going on?_ The blue-gray-eyed teen blinked rapidly, but soon enough even she began to sense that something was wrong with the dark-haired demon challenging her best friend. She trained her eyes on him, analyzing his physical form, until she gasped and recoiled; taking a few steps back from the tree she spied behind. Instantly she pitied the unconscious hanyou not too far from the...the...

She was going run away and throw up...

"Oh my gods..." Kagome was gaping at the scene across from her in complete, utter shock. Her complexion paled considerably as she absorbed the powerful vortex of demonic immortal energy surrounding Naraku at the moment, yet it was because he was morphing into... "He's an octopus!"

Eight slimy green tentacles with openings appearing like razor-sharp mouths at their ends sprouted from the demon's back, slithering in the air ravenously, searching for their next prey. Meanwhile, Naraku remained smirking, unfazed by his physical transformation. Heh, he wasn't even finished yet! Then all of his lower body disappeared into a mass of larger tentacles and what seemed like six spider legs joined the tentacles on his back.

Only his torso appeared remotely human now...

"Now let's see who has the greater power, Kagome," the demon god said, chuckling at the horror and disgust she barely hid. "For I am Naraku—the hell you and your friends seek to destroy."

_W-What? This was the demon who caused Midoriko's death and...?_ Kagome's chocolate eyed widened a huge fraction and her grip on her metal staff slackened the slightest bit. Great, this was what happened when she entered a battle without a plan! _Inuyasha... _Glancing at the immobile hanyou, she knew for certain there was no way he was going to wake up and save her any time soon.

Therefore, she shouldn't count on help from him. Just as she had wished, _she_ was doing the protecting.

Facing her opponent again, the miko gulped down her fear and braced herself, refusing to give into the supreme evil threatening her existence for the second time. All she focused on was her opponent—no other thought crept into her mind in order to weigh her down, not even her life in the mortal realm. Ha! Forget studying, homework, and her scholarship! Forget everything else that wasn't Naraku!

Although he was currently too revolting to think about...

"As the future Queen of Seijou," Kagome had to admit that it felt amazing to refer to herself in such a way and couldn't believe it took her so long to accept the role in life she was fated to have, "I will stand my ground and fight you, Naraku. I won't lose to you...not this time!"

_I won't die today. For Inuyasha's sake and for the immortal realm, I won't be afraid for my own life—not now, not ever. That is my oath...as a future Queen. _

* * *

**A/N: END! Whew, that took four months to post, can you believe it? Me neither. *sigh* It's pure crap, and I feel that things are happening too fast after the forty chapters to develop Inu and Kag's relationship, but seriously, I gotta pick things up. **

**To everyone complaining that this story is too long...well, I agree with you. It is too long and even I'm getting tired of the same old-same old. Originally, this is supposed to be the 27th chapter, but with long as chapters in between. So let's hope I can end this without rushing through it like an idiot. But I did want Kagome to get her feelings out there...which means switching Yuka's purpose around a bit. **

Next chapter:** Okay, now this time we get to see what's the deal with Sessh and Rin's marriage and if Kizurei died or not. :-D Nah, he ain't dead. Meimori would freak. Also, we gotta pick things up with Inu, Kag, and Yuka cuz I need them in a certain place...**

**Sooo...will I take another four months to update? Why does Inu always get victimized? Does Naraku secretly want to ravage the poor, victimized hanyou? Is Kagome truly capable of taking down Naraku? Why is Yuka so useless? Is she done being a bitch? Will Rin keep her doggy man in check? **

**Hopefully this time Rin and Sessh do get married...**

**Well, until my next update! Feel free to review because after this long abscence, I could use some enouragement...and motivation...and brownies... *too exhausted from a tennis game and spontaneously combusts***


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